The Price of Memories
by StarScheme
Summary: Raphael's hasty actions cause an innocent girl some serious injuries and her memory. Now the Turtles must help this girl regain her memories, but none of them were prepared for what they might find. Raphael most of all. Romance, Friendship, Jealousy, Horror, and a Psychological story takes the Turtles by surprise. Will anyone come out of this the same? Time will tell.
1. What happened that night

**A/N: This first Chapter is from a broad perspective. The next chapter will be more focused on the perspective of the Turtles.**

 **Chapter One:** What happened that night.

The clock had barely struck midnight in New York city and the pounding rain was swallowing the sounds of the city, (what little sound there was to be heard that night) and the turtles were all set to call it a night.

"Come on Raph!" Michelangelo shouted from the opposite rooftop, the impatience clear in his expression. "I'm starving and there is a jelly bean and anchovy pizza pining for me at home, there's no action tonight!"

"And it's raining!" Donatello added, both turtles shouting at their brother who was standing at the edge of his own rooftop, looking down at the abandoned industrial building across the street.

Raphael wasn't listening to either of them, his focus was evident as he narrowed his eyes to see a little better through the rain. There was something moving over there, he was certain of it. After a moment or two of ignoring his brother's shouting he pointed down to the street.

"Right there!" Raphael exclaimed as he jumped from the ledge. His brothers looked down to see what he had gone running for.

A young woman was running from several men into the street. She was bare foot, wearing a soaked blue hospital gown, and from the look of her muddied calves she had been running for a while. The men that chased her were wearing lab coats and from the way they seemed out of breath indicated they were not used to a lot of physical activity. Before either Mikey or Donnie could alert Leonardo, Raph was already on the men chasing her. It didn't take much to knock them down and once the last one hit the pavement he sighed in annoyance. Mikey was right, there was no action at all tonight. He thought they would at least put up a fight. He turned around to check on the girl and noticed now that she hadn't even stopped running.

"Hey, whoa! You can stop now!" He insisted gruffly as he jumped into the air and landed in front of her. Thinking she would notice him and stop, but was bumped instead once she ran right into him. The girl fell back into a puddle and Raphael was taken aback when he finally got a good look at her. There were bandages wrapped around her head to cover her eyes.

"Leave me alone!" The girl shouted as she scrambled back to her feet. Raphael's brothers caught up now and seemed both surprised and relieved to find that the girl couldn't see them. Even if she wasn't blindfolded, her long raven hair appeared to

"Don't worry. No one is chasing you anymore." Leonardo said cautiously.

The girl whipped her head around in his direction, "who are you? do you work for them?" she asked frantically.

"We don't work for anyone," Donatello tried to assure her, "why were they chasing you?"

"Can you get me out of here?" She pleaded, reaching over and unsteadily grabbing Raphael's arm, trying to focus on one of them. "Please? I'll tell you anything you want to know, but I can't stay here!"

The turtles looked at one another, but before any of them could utter a word there were shots fired around them. The girl screamed and without missing a beat, Raphael picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder to keep her from the blasts. While the turtles were trying to find the source of the blast, the girl was swiftly lifted from Raph's shoulder and pulled into the air. She gasped and immediately panicked, kicking and wriggling to get away from whatever had grabbed her.

"Boxmen!" Mikey called out while he pointed at the giant mutant fly that was trying to carry the girl away.

"Come on!" Leo ordered as he began to jump for the rooftops in order to save the girl. The others followed after and one in particular looked rather motivated. Raphael was already annoyed, but now he was angry at himself for allowing the girl to be taken right from his arms. That was just humiliating and he wasn't going to let it stand.

The hot tempered turtle ran ahead of the others and jumped off the ledge to grab at Stockmen's legs, getting carried along with them, but trying to drag him down.

"Drop her stockboy!" Raph demanded.

"It's ZZSSTOCKMEN!" The mutated man insisted with a slight buzzing noise at the end.

"Raph! Hang on!" Leo shouted from the rooftop below them.

Unfortunately, Leo was a little late with his plea as Raph swung his feet forward and kicked Stockmen in the gut. Leo and the others saw this and panicked a little. Raph and the girl weren't exactly in the right position to be struggling for a getaway. Stockmen lurched in pain and lost his grip on the girl. Raphael made to fall after her, but was grabbed quickly by the mutants large pincher and hurting his arm.

The other turtles made a quick dash for the girl, but she was falling faster than any one of them could reach her. Their eyes widened in horror as they were forced to watch her fall. Raphael panicked and took one of his Sai, thrusting it up against the pincher that held him and stabbed Stockmen's mutated hand.

"Gahhzz!" Stockman exclaimed in pain, dropping the turtle at once.

Everything was happening so quickly, but Raphael swore he could reach her. He outstretched his uninjured arm to grab for her.  
"Reach out!" he shouted in a panic. She may not have been able to see, but she could surely hear him right?

She did as he ordered at once, unable to properly think as she felt herself falling. With barely time to plead for help, the long raven haired young woman landed in the alleyway beneath them. Raphael could hardly believe it as he landed on the ground, his eyes wide as he stared at the girls body. She had landed in a pile of garbage bags, but it didn't do much to cushion her fall.  
He found that his feet would no longer listen to his body. The girl wasn't moving and from what could be seen of her face, she was unconscious. The bandages that initially covered her eyes had loosened and they had begun to soak up a little of the blood that slowly trailed from her head. He let her get taken and he had caused Stockmen to drop her. To actually see this girl bruised and broken because of his mistakes had shaken the teenage ninja. It wasn't until Leonardo landed beside him that Raphael even flinched.

"Raph!" Leo shouted in concern, trying to get his brothers attention before he rushed over to check on the girl.

Raphael's feet were heavy and he could feel his hands shake a little, but he was still unable to take his eyes off the girl. Everything seemed to happen outside of time now. His brother's voices muffled as if they were speaking to him through glass.

"-ph! ...Raphael!" Donatello's voice finally began to register and Raphael shook his himself mentally, and tore his eyes from the girls body for a moment to look at Donnie.

"Wh-what?" Raphael responded in a removed sort of way. He didn't even feel like he was there with them. His mind was stuck on only one thing. _This was his fault. He made a mistake and now this girl was broken._

"She's alive!" Leonardo shouted. He had his hand on the girls neck while he checked for her pulse. "Donnie! Come and help me." Leo ordered now while he and Mikey did their best to remove the garbage bags that had toppled onto the girls arm. Donatello turned on his heel to help, but Raphael grabbed his shoulder without a word to stop him.

"I'll get her!" He snapped; surprising his brothers and causing them all to pause in their actions. Raphael brushed past them all and insisted on carrying the girl. He was sure to be careful since it seemed her right leg was bleeding a little and looked severely bruised. His brothers watched in a mild fascination as Raphael held the stranger princess style without another word.

"We should take her to a hospital." Donatello suggested.

"If Shredder is after her...he might find her there." replied Leonardo, "For now...we'll take her back to the lair. Donnie, call April and see if she can come over and help us with her."

It didn't take long for Donatello to whip out his T-phone and call his "sweet princess." As they rushed back to the lair, he told April what had happened and asked for her assistance. No doubt because they would have to clean the girls wounds and it would be best to have another girl take care of that.

All the way back home, Raphael was sure to be careful. His rash behavior had already cost this girl such injuries and he didn't want to make it worse. He wanted to make up for it somehow. She had asked for their help and look where it landed her. All he could do now was make certain that she was not hurt again.


	2. A new house guest

**Chapter Two:** **A new house guest.**

Several hours had passed since the Turtles brought the battered girl back to the lair. After explaining everything to Splinter, April helping to change the girls wet clothes into some pajama's she had brought and clean her wounds, Donatello was able to determine the extent of her injuries. With a gash on her head, a broken right leg, two broken ribs, and a fractured wrist on her right hand, she was not in the best of shape. She was still unconscious, but at least she was alive. As the girl rested in the training area, they all gathered in the main room to talk.

"The Pajama's seem a little small on her, but they should do for now..." April started as she held the girls soaked hospital gown, "but she wasn't wearing a hospital bracelet or anything else."

"So we don't know who she is or why Stockboy was trying to grab her?" asked Donatello.

"How could we? We didn't even have time to ask her name before she was carried off. Once she fell, Stockmen flew off in a hurry though." Leonardo replied, placing his hand against his chin to think on the situation.

"Hey, where's Raph?" asked Mikey as he looked around the room.

April looked a little troubled as she turned her gaze towards the dojo. "He's watching over her. He hasn't said a word since he came home. ...do you think he is okay?"

"I doubt it." Leonardo replied before he turned towards the dojo as well, "Thanks for your help April." he added while he walked over to check on the girl, leaving the others to talk amongst themselves.

Raphael was sitting against the wall, watching the girl as she slept. Her wounds had been bandaged and Donatello had done the best he could to splint her broken leg, but her injuries still plagued his mind. The scene repeated over and over in his head and he tried each time to think of some way he could have gotten to her a little faster. He could still see her broken body in that pile of garbage, as if thrown away and left for dead by Stockmen. The guilt and rage were building up with each memory and all he wanted to do now was find that bug and squash him.

"How are you doing?" Leonardo asked as he entered the room.

"..." This earned little reaction from Raphael as he kept his eyes on the girl, "How do you _think_ I am?" he muttered, "I screwed up _and_ we let stockboy get away after trying to kill her."

Leonardo sighed quietly. He wasn't sure if this was the right time to point out that it was Raphael's rash actions that led to her fall. After all, he could tell his brother felt guilty, did he really have to point that out right now? He wasn't so sure if he should offer any comfort either, or if that would just make Raphael feel worse. Finally he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word they heard a painful groan from the girl. Raphael flinched and quickly got to his feet to get closer and Leonardo did the same. The brother's leaned in to look at her face and sure enough, she was waking up.

The girl opened her eyes very slowly and the brothers held their breath. Each one hoped that she would not be in too much pain, but only Leonardo was hoping to question her about the Foot. A little eager to find out why they wanted her. Raphael was just hoping he could put a little guilt behind him if she was not as hurt as she seemed. Her hazel eyes opened completely now, but she winced a bit and seemed confused at once.

"...Where...?" she started painfully. Able to feel everything now and found that she was quite unable to move. Forced to stay on her back, the girl looked up at the ceiling and then brought a curious gaze to the two giant turtles that were hovering over her. She squinted her eyes to get a better look. Not really sure she was seeing properly. "Costumes...?" she muttered mostly to herself as she made a small effort to sit up. This action was quickly followed by a small, painful gasp since the broken ribs wouldn't allow her to move.

Raphael made an attempt to stop her from moving by reaching for her, but Leonardo beat him to it and placed his hands against her shoulders gently.

"Don't get up..." he said softly while helping her to lay back down, "you're really hurt and need to rest..."

"...Hurt? ...but how?" she asked, completely lost.

"You fell. Do you remember falling?" Leonardo replied, causing Raphael to glance away in a bit of shame.

"...No." she said simply, "I don't...really remember anything." With that small realization, the girls expression began to change. More frightened and confused than in pain. "I don't remember anything. ...I don't know who I am..." She couldn't remember her name, her age, or even what she looked like. This fall that he told her about, she couldn't remember that either. This fact started to frighten her and it was visible on her face. Leonardo kept his hand on her shoulder and offered a warm smile in an attempt to calm her down.

"Don't worry," he started, "we brought you here to heal...and I'm sure your memory will come back in time. ...tonight was probably just a little traumatic."

She glanced at Leonardo, able to see him clearly now. Though she was calmed slightly by his words...she was still confused by his appearance. Taking a small breath to relax her beating heart, she nodded.  
"...So...why are you in costume?"

"It's...not a costume." Leonardo replied cautiously, hoping this fact wouldn't scare her on top of everything else.

At first the girl didn't seem to react at all, but after his words began to sink in the brothers could see a slight panic on her face. She looked scared, but conflicted. Was this normal? She couldn't remember if this was normal. Looking at her own hand to make sure that she herself was not a giant turtle. Unable to determine if this was something she was supposed to know or remember, she decided to accept it. Not that it didn't strike a strange nerve.

"O...okay...?" She replied in cautious acceptance. She knew what a turtle was and they were not this big. Or were they? Had she forgotten that too? Trying to remember caused a small throbbing in her head and she cringed, bringing her left hand to her forehead in an attempt to suppress it.

"Ah, I see our guest is awake." Master Splinter commented as he entered the room. The brothers straightened their backs as he walked over to them and looked down at the girl.

Looking up at Splinter the girl was fairly certain that a giant talking rat was not a normal thing. Or was it? She hated not being able to remember anything about herself. It made it so that she couldn't be sure what else she may have forgotten. She couldn't even decide if she should go with her instincts and scream at this point.

"She can't remember who she is, Sensei." Leonardo informed his master, "The fall must have caused some kind of amnesia."

"Well...for the time being, she can stay here where she will be safe." replied Splinter, "but we must give her a temporary name to speak with her properly."

"A name?!" Mikey asked happily as he appeared in the room in a puff of smoke, "Let the naming master take care of that! How about-MMPH!?" before he could finish, Donatello had placed his hand over his brothers mouth with an exasperated expression.

"A real name, Mikey." Leonardo insisted.

"How about this one?" April suggested, walking into the room and holding out her phone for the others to see, "I figured since all of you are named after painters..."

April had looked up a famous woman painter from the 1800's named Evelyn de Morgan and held up her information for master Splinter to see now. He stroked his beard and smiled a little as he glanced at the girl.

"What do you think?" He asked.

To be honest, she was not sure what to think. She was injured, in pain, and couldn't remember a thing about herself while surrounded by four giant turtles, a rat, and a young girl. This was a lot to take in right now and her head was not offering her a moment of reprieve from the pain to soak it all in. Still...these people didn't seem as though they wanted to hurt her and somehow, the way that Leonardo had smiled at her...it made it a little easier to trust him. Even if it was only a little. It was all she had to hang onto at the moment.

"Can we call you Evelyn?" April asked, kneeling down to come to the girls level a bit and hoping to keep her calm.

The girl looked at April and somehow seeing her eased her worry almost completely. She took another breath and actually smiled now.  
"...That sounds like a nice name..."

April smiled and put her hands together as she looked at the others. "Okay, so we'll call her Evelyn for now."

Donatello crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes in thought for a moment. "She must have retrograde amnesia. ...Perhaps with your abilities April...you could help Evelyn jog her memory." He suggested.

April looked a bit unsure if she could handle something like that. She still didn't have a great handle on her psychic ability, but before she could answer Master Splinter held up his hand to silence everyone.

"Our guest has had a very eventful night and I'm sure this is a bit much at once for her. We should let her rest for now and perhaps in the morning we can talk about better ways to help her. For now...she must allow her body to heal."

Evelyn felt a relief at his words. It certainly was a lot to take in and even if seeing April calmed her nerves greatly, she was still confused and frightened. She simply didn't have the energy to make much of a fuss right now.  
"Thanks..." She said softly, offering Splinter a smile.

Splinter bowed slightly and with a warm expression he gestured to his sons that had now taken to kneeling beside her bed in a line.  
"These are my sons...Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo..." As they were introduced, she turned her head to look at them. Raphael had averted his gaze to the wall, Leonardo bowed with a smile, Donatello smiled at her, and Mikey waved at her happily. "And you may call me Splinter. You are safe here. Please take this time to rest." Splinter finished as he left the room to meditate on the situation.

April knelt down by Evelyn's bed as well now and smiled at her. "And I'm April." she introduced herself and Evelyn felt a calm wash over her once again. Endeared by Mikey's happy and welcoming expression. They all seemed very kind, all except the one that refused to look at her. Evelyn glanced over at Raphael once more and sure enough he was determined to stare at the wall.

"We'll leave you to rest." Leonardo said as he rose to his feet, "Master Splinter is right, your body needs to heal before we do anything for your memory."

Evelyn nodded a little and offered Leo a smile. "...Thanks for helping me. I don't remember getting hurt...but...thanks for all your help."

Leonardo smiled down at her once more. "No thanks necessary. Just focus on getting better."

With that, he gestured for the others to leave the room as well. Following his lead, Donnie, April and Mikey got up to leave, but Raphael refused to move. Before leaving, Michelangelo knelt down beside Evelyn and quickly placed his teddy bear beside her, looking back to see if Leonardo had seen him.

"Night." Mikey whispered happily before he ran off.

Evelyn smiled and laughed lightly as she glanced at the bear. Whether or not these giant turtles were actually normal or not was slowly starting to matter less and less. Each one seemed very kind. Michelangelo and Leonardo in particular. With everyone but Raphael gone from the room, she glanced his way once more and pulled the blanket she was covered with up over her chest a little more. Unsure why he was the only one that stayed, she stared at him in silence as she tried to think of something to say.

"...Uh-"

"I'll keep watch." Raphael said quickly, but almost too quietly for her to hear.

Evelyn flinched a little when he spoke, not really expecting it. Though he had finally said something he was still refusing to look her way. This fact made her a little uncomfortable. Was she strange to him? Or done something to make him mad? If so, she wouldn't remember anyhow.

"Um...okay." she replied, awkwardly turning her head away to look at the bear that Mikey had placed beside her. How was she supposed to get any sleep like this? She could hear Raphael move and with a quick glance saw that he had relocated to sit against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest as he closed his eyes. Was he going to sleep like that? Looking back at the bear, she brought her hand over to gently hug the stuffed animal against her face. This was not going to be an easy nights rest. Maybe she was still in shock and it all just hadn't really sunk in quite yet, but at the very least she felt safe. A little more so thanks to Michelangelo's bear.

Raphael watched silently as Evelyn turned her head to try and rest. He had a nagging feeling in his gut. He wanted to apologize to her in some way, but she didn't even remember the fall. Should he really admit that he was the cause of her injuries and now her memory loss? He always hated to admit his mistakes, but now he had not only allowed this girl to be hurt, but he was the reason for the loss of her very identity. He didn't want to be mean to her, but he felt so ashamed of his mistake that he couldn't bare to look her in the eye. Grateful at least that Master Splinter or Leonardo didn't scold him, but on the other hand it hurt a little more that they didn't say a word. It might have made him feel a little better if someone had punched him for it. For now, all he could do to keep his guilt under control was to keep watch over Evelyn and do what he could to help her recover as quickly as possible.


	3. Getting to Know You

Chapter Three: Getting to know you.

The night didn't pass very well for Evelyn or for Raphael. She had trouble falling asleep knowing that Raphael was sitting against the wall to watch over her and he was up most of night just in case she woke up in pain or needed anything. Still, between Raphael and the pain she was happy to get any sleep at all. Once the morning finally came Evelyn woke up to the smell of eggs and when she opened her eyes she saw a plate of scrambled eggs and toast sitting beside her.

"Mikey made that for ya." Raphael said as he got to his feet and headed for the door, "I'll be right back."

Leaving before Evelyn could say anything, she watched him walk off and was quickly reminded that last night hadn't been a dream. She really was staying with giant turtles. Once that sunk in again, the only problem now was how she was supposed to eat this when she couldn't even sit up on her own.

"Good morning." Leonardo greeted as he entered the room only to see her attempting to move on her own. He connected the dots once he saw the food and rushed over to help. Kneeling down beside her, he placed his hand on her shoulder and the other at her back for support.

Sitting up wasn't easy with broken ribs, but she did her best not to make a fuss. Gritting her teeth a little, she waited until Leo placed a couple pillows at her back to keep her up and comfortable.

"Thanks..." She said quietly as she waited for the pain to decrease so she could eat a little.

"No problem. You shouldn't move so much without help for a while..." Leonardo suggested gently, taking the chopsticks from he plate and holding them up to her face to offer her a bite.

Evelyn stared at Leonardo in silence for a moment. Was he offering to feed her? A nervous blush laced her cheeks and she held up her uninjured left hand.  
"Y-you don't have to feed me." she insisted awkwardly.

"Are you left handed?" He asked.

Evelyn wasn't entirely sure. She took the chopsticks that he offered and found out at once that she was in fact, not left handed as they slipped from her hand and dropped the egg in her lap.  
"I...guess I'm not." She said in embarrassment as she glanced away.

Leonardo chuckled and cleaned the egg from her lap. He took the chopsticks once more and offered her another bite, holding his hand under the food to avoid another mess. Evelyn looked at Leonardo's smiling face as he held the food up for her and she felt her cheeks burn a little more. She leaned over finally and took the food into her mouth, a little too embarrassed to look at him now. The egg tasted a little strange. A bit like pizza. Did eggs always taste this way? Either way, she wasn't about to say anything and make a fool of herself. Losing her memory had made her feel a little stupid and she didn't need another reason to feel that way.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, getting her another bite and holding it up for her.

"...Not...much different than yesterday." she replied honestly, taking another bite, but keeping her gaze down at the floor.

"Yeah...that was probably a stupid question." he admitted with a laugh, "want some toast?"

"Yes!" She answered quickly. Just excited by the fact that she could eat it without any help. Leonardo handed her the bread and she seemed to relax a little, but her cheeks were still a little red.

"Are you feeling feverish?" he asked as he brought his hand to her forehead to check her temperature. Evelyn flinched and glanced up at him, completely silent until he pulled his hand away with a curious expression. "Hm, I guess not, but I'll have Donnie come and check on you soon."

"N-no. I'm okay. ...but if I could get an aspirin or something..." she started, still a little too embarrassed to look at him.

"April is coming by later with some stuff for you. I think she stopped at the store for medication and I know Donnie is working on something so that you can move around a little easier."

A smile laced her face and she finally glanced up to meet his eyes. They really were all very kind.  
"Thank you, Leonardo..."

Leonardo smiled a little wider, just glad to see that she wasn't as hesitant to speak with him as she seemed yesterday. Perhaps soon she would be ready to try and remember something about the Foot. But he shook that idea from his mind for now. Master Splinter was right, this girl had been through a lot and needed to heal.  
"Just focus on getting better. Healing physically will take time...and healing mentally...well that can be a lot more difficult." he added as he placed his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to offer some comfort. He sympathized with her. After all, he went through something like this before with his own injury.

Evelyn only now began to notice the blue of Leonardo's eyes. His expression was sincere and it was that sincerity that eased her own mind.  
"I'll do my best." answered Evelyn.

Leonardo went back to helping her eat the breakfast that Mikey had made for her and she seemed a little more comfortable with it. The silence between them wasn't even that awkward anymore. She wasn't sure of too many things, but there were a few that she could be sure of now. Mikey, Leonardo, and April seemed to really set her at ease in this place. Hopefully her injuries would heal soon and she could remember something. The last thing she wanted to do was be a burden when they had all done so much for her.

Raphael came back into the Dojo with a glass a water and raised a curious brow when he saw the two of them. Why was Leonardo feeding her? He didn't say a word as he placed the water next to the plate of food and went back to sit against the wall. His entrance didn't go unnoticed. Evelyn noticeably flinched a little and stopped eating once he set the water down. Leonardo turned his gaze to his brother and stared at him in silence for a moment.

"Raph. Can we talk for a minute?" Leonardo asked as he set the chopsticks down and let Evelyn finish her toast.

"Only if it's really just a minute." replied Raphael with a hint of annoyance.

"I DID IT!" Donatello shouted. Interrupting the two brothers as he rushed into the room a strange looking chair. The three turned his way and stared at his newest little creation.

"Did what?" Raphael snapped irately. Maybe it was the lack of sleep last night, but he felt more irritated with his brothers than usual today.

"I modified this wheelchair I found so that Evelyn can move around!" Donnie announced in excitement.

Leonardo sighed a little. "Why didn't you just leave it alone? I'm sure a regular wheelchair would be just fine."

"But this is so much cooler!" replied Donatello as he rushed it over to Evelyn's bedside. "It can lift into the air so that stairs wont be a problem. I even fixed it with some weapon features and-"

"There is no way you are putting her in that thing." Raphael interrupted as he rose to his feet and walked over to the chair to take it away.

"What? Come on! It's completely safe. I'm certain it will be a big help." Donnie insisted. Ever confident of his abilities.

Raphael growled and grit his teeth. He really wasn't in the mood and if Donnie really thought he was going to let anyone stick Evelyn in a chair that had weapons in it, they must have been the ones who hit their head. Without another word, Raph grabbed Donatello by the shoulders and forced him into the chair. The initial force that he slammed Donatello down with had set the chair off and Donnie was lifted into the air.

"GAHHH!" Donatello exclaimed in fear and surprise as the chair lifted off the ground and began to zoom around the room. The chair even seemed to take his scream as a cry for help and began to shoot off the shuriken that he had installed into the arms.

Evelyn stared in wide eyed shock as she watched the fiasco unfold and once the Shuriken began to shoot from the chair, her vision was blocked by Raphael and Leonardo who had both moved to cover her from them.

"Donnie! Shut it down!" Leonardo shouted.

It was no sooner that Leo shouted that Master Splinter had entered the room and quickly knocked the jet boosters off the chair. Donatello finally fell to the ground and the two brother's turned to look at the mess he made. Shuriken were lodged in several different places around the room and one had even nicked Raphael's shell.

Raphael growled again and clenched his fists. "You were gonna make her ride in that thing?!" He snapped.

Leonardo sighed heavily and walked over to Donatello. He could practically see the swirls in his brothers eyes as he knelt down beside him.  
"So how about we just keep it simple, huh?" He joked a little with his clearly disoriented brother.

"...agreed..." replied Donatello in an unsteady voice.

After the wheelchair fiasco, Donatello resigned to allow Evelyn the use of a simple wheelchair without any modifications. A few weeks had past since then and Evelyn had spent those weeks getting to know all the Turtles, Master Splinter, and April. Even Casey Jones, whom Evelyn didn't particularly care for at this point. Raphael had been the one to wheel Evelyn around the most and he had even began to talk with her a little more. Leonardo and April helped Master Splinter with her physical therapy and Evelyn really watching Space Heroes with Leo. She had even started to help Donnie in his lab as a replacement assistant when April wasn't around.  
She had the most fun with Michelangelo however; they would play games and with the small exception of almost dropping her in the sewer water when he was pushing her wheelchair through the tunnels, he was always pretty careful with her.

From having very little identity to start with to practically becoming a part of the family, Evelyn was much more comfortable in the lair now. She still wasn't sure who she was before all this, but it was becoming less important by the day. In these past weeks, she had really come to enjoy their company and her time with them. Raphael was the most protective of her and even as her ribs started to heal, didn't want her walking around too much. He was more like her bodyguard than anything else. Making sure that Mikey wasn't too careless with her or feeding her anything strange. Leo had become a lot like a big brother, there to listen when she wasn't feeling well and supportive in her physical therapy. Donatello was quickly becoming a good friend and she very much enjoyed listening to his lectures on whatever he happened to be tinkering with that day. Mikey had become a little brother in her eyes. In the weeks that followed her first night, he was constantly doing what he could to make her smile and acting out his comics and mission recaps for her when she seemed bored of sitting around.

Evelyn knew all about how the Turtles came to be now and how Master Splinter used to be human. It took a while for all the information on Shredder and the Foot to sink in and she still couldn't believe someone like that was after her. What was it about her that might have warranted a kidnapping? She was even told who was responsible for her fall, but Leonardo had omitted Raphael's involvement. He was hoping that Raph would eventually come to terms with that himself and have a proper talk with Evelyn.

Since three weeks had gone by, Evelyn was more than tired of sitting in the chair. She sighed heavily as she sat beside the Shell-Raiser that Donatello was currently fixing. Even breathing still hurt her ribs.

"Something wrong?" Donnie asked as he peeked out from inside the vehicle.

"...I'm just tired of sitting around," Evelyn admitted in frustration, "April actually gets to help you guys on the surface...and I get to sit here and do nothing."

"I told you, your injuries would take at least six to eight weeks in order to properly heal."

"Yeah, but...I'm starting to lose my mind." She exclaimed, "I can't even move myself around with this stupid broken wrist and Raphael refuses to help me go top side."

"Well you know why he wont do that. Shredder was after you. We can't afford to have anyone recognize you when you can't even run from them." replied Donatello simply as he went back to his work, "Can you hand me the crescent wrench?"

Evelyn sighed in frustration and did as she was asked, rummaging through the toolbox that was set on her lap and handing him what he asked for, "Well I'll be happy when I can at least bathe on my own..." She muttered in a pout.

The mention of a bath caused Donatello to drop the wrench against his foot and he groaned in pain. Evelyn smirked and giggled under her breath. She was well aware of his crush on April by now and since April was the one that helped Evelyn wash, she could only imagine what he was envisioning.

"Aren't you done yet?" Raphael asked gruffly as he made his way over to them.

"Donnie had an accident." replied Evelyn, suppressing another giggle.

"Well it's time to eat and then we have to go out on patrol. Which means you need to get to bed after you eat." Raphael insisted as he took the handles of her chair and turned her around to wheel her back into the lair.

"Already?" She asked in disappointment. Raph really didn't seem to allow her much time for anything if it wasn't food and rest. Even after all this time she was certain that he didn't like her much. "but Leonardo isn't even back yet." she whined a little.

Raphael twitched slightly and took in a small breath. "What does that matter?" he asked simply.

Evelyn's cheeks tinted pink and she looked down at her lap, "W-well...it doesn't really. ...I was just...I mean I haven't really seen him all day and I was just-um curious where he was." She stammered a bit.

"He's been with April, trying to find clues on who you are."

"What?" She turned her head to look over her shoulder at Raphael now, "but I thought we were going to wait until I remembered on my own."

Raphael shrugged and her shoulders dropped. For some reason, having Leonardo work so hard to find out who she was before all this made her feel a little dejected. She had lived as Evelyn for a while now and lately it seemed that Leonardo was so focused on who she used to be that he didn't like who she was now. His opinion was the one she valued and feared the most out of everyone she had met and gotten to know these past three weeks. A part of her was afraid that once he discovered who she was, he wouldn't have any need for her anymore. Was it selfish of her to want to be here a little longer? After all, she had no idea what she was missing of her old life, so how could she miss it? What she would miss was all of this. She may have been human, but April fit in here, why couldn't she?

Raphael could see that this upset her a little and a part of him bristled over the fact it was Leonardo that made her feel so down. He cleared his throat a little and took a breath, trying to think of something to say that might cheer her up.  
"...Uh...well maybe if you're feeling up to it, we-"

"Leonardo!" Evelyn exclaimed happily as she saw Leo and April return from the surface. Raphael sighed and his cheeks tinted just a little. He didn't want her to be sad, but seeing her so happy at Leo's return started to annoy him.

"Hey." Leo greeted as he made his way to her and patted her head with his hand, "You and Donnie get the Shell-Raiser running?"

Evelyn blushed noticeably as she smiled up at Leonardo, "Well I didn't do anything, but I think he's almost done." she replied happily.

April approached and held up a paper bag, "I bought some clean bandages for you. It's been a while since we changed them."

"Oh good," said Evelyn, "Mikey was just complaining that he had no more room to decorate me," she finished, holding up her shirt a little to reveal the bandages around her ribs that had been scribbled all over by Michelangelo.

April and Evelyn laughed a little and the red head walked over to take the chair from Raphael so that she could take Evelyn to change her wrappings. Raphael didn't put up a fight when April took her away, but as Leonardo moved to pass him and talk to Donatello, he placed his hand on his brother's shoulder to stop him.

"You need to tell Eve about Karai." he said simply.

"What? Why?" Leonardo asked, turning to face Raphael now.

"She just needs to know."

"It's not something she needs to know about right now. Karai has nothing to do with Evelyn." Leonardo insisted, turning to walk away again.

"I'll just tell her than." announced Raphael.

Leonardo turned around once more, more confused than upset by this. It wasn't as if Karai was a big secret, but he simply didn't see the need to talk about her. It didn't help that talking about Karai was a bit of a sore spot for him.  
"What is you problem lately?" he started lowly, "You've been shorter with me than usual and now you want to talk about my business for no reason?"

"I'm always short with ya, but I just think you need to stop letting Eve sniff around you like a puppy." Raph insisted, growing more annoyed by the second.

Leonardo was taken aback by this.  
"What?"

"If you don't tell her about your feelings for Karai, you're really just stringing her along and I'm getting sick of it. Makes me wanna hurl."

Leonardo stared at his brother in bewilderment for a moment. Did Raphael think that Evelyn had a crush on him? There was no way she did and even if that were the case, why did it bother him so much? Suddenly, it was as if a light went off in his brain and he looked almost amused now.  
"You like Evelyn." he stated knowingly.

Raphael flinched and turned to glare at his brother now. "W-what?! No I don't! I just don't want her falling for your fearless leader, bull! You treat her all nice, but we all know all you want out of her is information about Shredder! But she actually thinks that you're being nice to her!"

"I _am_ being nice to her! She's my friend!" Leonardo insisted, their argument becoming a shouting match rather quickly.

"Since _when_?!" Raph shouted angrily, "All you do is try to find a way to turn her back into a stranger and all you care about is what Shredder wants with her! That's the only reason you act nice!" He insisted as he shoved his brother against the chest and jostled him a bit.

Leonardo glared at Raphael and took a breath, "Let's not do this, Raph..." he started, "I don't care if you're jealous or whatever, but Evelyn doesn't have feelings for me anyway and I'm not gonna take crap from you over something like that."

"Shut up!" Raphael growled, lunging forward to take a swing at Leo. He was too angry to worry about form and it was simple for Leonardo to take hold of his arm and swing his hot tempered brother over his shoulder to knock him on his shell.

"That's enough, Raph!" he demanded, looming over his brother.

"What's going on?!" Evelyn asked in concern as April wheeled her back into the main room. Her eyes darted from Raphael on the ground and back to Leonardo.

Raphael blushed slightly and grit his teeth. He didn't need her to see him like this. All it did was make Leonardo look even better in her eyes didn't it? He quickly jumped to his feet and growled through gritted teeth. "Forget it!" he shouted angrily and jumped off in a huff. He didn't like her. There was no way he could. He just didn't like her swooning over Leonardo for no reason. Wasn't _he_ the one that wanted to keep her safe? Wasn't _he_ the one that took care of her the most? All Leo wanted to do was use her for information. Leonardo didn't care about Evelyn, he only cared about who she _used_ to be. _He_ was the one that cared-  
Raphael stopped his dash through the tunnels when he really started to realize what he was thinking about. He'd been keeping her safe and taking care of her for three weeks now. Was that really enough time to care about her like this. He slumped his shoulders and lowered his head with a brief exhale.  
"...Damn." He muttered to himself. He _was_ jealous.


	4. If you find this

**Chapter Four: If you find this...**

Raphael had run off and left the others to ponder where he might have gone. He was embarrassed, ashamed, and irritated. He blew up at Leonardo over nothing and made a food of himself in front of Evelyn. She was probably fawning all over Leo now anyhow. The hot tempered turtle sat at the edge of a rooftop, looking down at the city below and searching hopefully for anything that might distract his mind. Eve had been living with them for a few weeks now and he didn't understand a thing about her. He lifted his head and came to his own conclusion that he would get answers on his own. Stockboy was the one that tried to take her, so all he had to do was find him and force him to talk. At the very least, he could smash a couple Foot bots along the way. Fortunately, he knew just where to find him.

"A turtle...?" A young woman's voice spoke softly as she emerged from behind an air shaft vent.

Raphael whipped around at once and pulled out his twin Sai in defense. The woman was covered in a black cloak, and a large hood covered her face.  
"Who are you?" He demanded.

There was no reply from the woman. She simply placed a small bottle on the ground and let it roll over to Raphael's feet. He looked down at the bottle and back at her. It didn't look like mutagen as far as he could tell. The liquid inside was black, as if it were tar or ink.

"...For the girl." The woman said finally. Her voice was eerie, like a whisper on the wind.

"What? Evelyn?" He asked, leaning down to pick up the bottle now and staring at it curiously. "What does it do?"

"It will make her better." said the woman simply.

"And why should I trust you? What do you know about her?" asked Raphael.

The woman lifted her hand to pull the hood over her face a little more. At a glance, her hand was completely bandaged. "...Warehouse nine." she whispered. Before Raphael could respond or even blink, the woman seemed to vanish like a soft breeze and left Raphael standing on the roof with the bottle in his hand. Warehouse Nine and some drink that would make Evelyn better?

"Do you know how many warehouses there are in this city!?" He shouted into the air, mostly just annoyed that he really didn't get any answers at all. Why did everyone have to be so cryptic? He sighed finally and placed the bottle into a small holder on his Sais strap. He wasn't about to give Evelyn anything until he made sure what it was. First, he'd find this warehouse and check it out. If it had anything to do with who Eve used to be, he wanted to be the one to find it.

Back at the Lair, Mikey was helping Evelyn out of her wheelchair and onto the futon that they had set up for her in the Dojo.

"There ya go!" Mikey exclaimed happily as he finished setting her up in bed with a couple random stuffed animals he had found recently.

"Thanks..." replied Evelyn with an absent expression.

"Heeey, don't worry about Raph. He does this all the time. I'm sure he'll come home soon. Hopefully with a pizza." Mikey said happily.

"Are you all going out on patrol now?"

"Yeah, but I'll make sure to be back in time for breakfast. This time, I'm gonna make you my famous pizza omelet!" he proclaimed proudly.

A nervous smile laced Evelyn's face and she nodded her head. "Sounds good."  
His food would sometimes make her stomach ache, but she didn't want to disappoint him at all. She could handle a few pizza flavored meals if it made him smile like he did. She waved goodbye as Mikey rushed off to join his brothers and once she was alone, she sighed and laid herself down to try and get a little sleep. Her mind was still anxious and would most likely remain that way until Raphael returned.

Raphael wasn't planning on coming home any time soon. He had already started looking for this warehouse the woman mentioned. He groaned in aggravation as he once again came across a dead end. There were so many places in the city for storage. Couldn't she have given him something a little more specific? Not like it would have been all that hard. After a few hours went by with no luck, he was starting to lose hope. He could probably search all night and not find what he was looking for. It was a pure stubborn nature that had kept him looking this long, but maybe it was time to throw in the towel. Raphael turned around to head back home, but in the corner of his eye he saw something move.

"This way..." The figure whispered in haste, rushing through the streets like a gust of wind. It was the woman. He was sure of it.

"Wait up!" He shouted as he jumped from the roof and ran as quickly as he could to catch up to the black figure. She was moving as if her feet never touched the floor and was almost too fast to keep track of. This wasn't helping his irritation, but at this point he was desperate for any kind of help.

"Hurry!" She whispered again, darting through an abandoned alley and shifting through the piled crates and broken wood like a shadow. Raph had to push and shove his way through the rubble frantically in order to keep up with her, but once he was through she was no where to be seen.  
Finding himself alone now, he took the chance to look around. The woman had led him into a strange dead end. The brick walls around him were singed and so was the wooden rubble around his feet. He figured it must have been caused by a fire. Hearing a soft wind behind him, Raphael turned to find no one there, but a boarded up door and smeared in white paint above that door was a letter and a number. W9.

"Warehouse 9." He muttered simply. That was was all it took for Raphael to start pulling at the wooden barricade placed there. It was harder to remove than he figured it would be, but with a little leverage he was finally able to pull off enough for him to kick the door down. He covered his mouth and closed his eyes to block the cloud of dust that exploded once the door hit the floor with a thud. He waved his hand to clear some dust from his pathway inside and climbed through.

It was nearly midnight, so there wasn't any light to shine into the dusty room, but he soon found out that it wouldn't have mattered. With no windows that he could see, the room was completely closed off from the outside. Why would the woman bring him here? Was it some kind of trap? He stepped forward to explore and felt a crunch beneath his feet. Quickly lifting his leg, he looked down and discovered he had stepped on a picture frame. Raphael leaned down to pick it up and his eyes were drawn at once to the raven haired young woman standing at the far left of a small group of people. It was Evelyn. Or rather...who she used to be. The picture was singed, but it appeared to have survived whatever happened here. The girl he knew as Evelyn was smiling, staring straight at the camera as if she were smiling at whomever might see this photograph. She didn't look any younger and in fact, she was wearing the same hospital gown that they had found her in. It was a black and white picture, so it was hard to tell, but when he leaned his face in a little closer he could have sworn that one of her eyes was a lighter hue than the other. Perhaps it was just light from the lens? She appeared to be holding something in her hands. A black sphere. The group to her left were what appeared to be doctors or scientists. Five men in lab coats stood there with stone faces. Not one was smiling as they posed for the camera and he couldn't figure why if Evelyn was smiling, why weren't they?

Comparing the photographs background to the blackened, singed remains of the room, he was able to confirm this was the same place. Was there anything to salvage though? Besides the picture that he found, there wasn't much else that looked as if it had survived. He took the picture out of it's frame and checked the back, but it was blank. He sighed and folded the photograph, packing it away alongside the bottle he had in his weapon strap. The turtle walked slowly through the fire damaged room. It didn't look like it had much to begin with anyhow. There was an old bed frame, the remains of what looked like a work desk, and what appeared to be a surgical table and blackened tools. Did they keep her here? In this room with no windows? Why was it called a warehouse and why would that woman lead him here if there was nothing but a picture to find?

"Gah! If there is no one to punch, a picture hardly seems worth it!" He shouted into the empty room. He really wasn't the type for all this puzzle work. He took a deep breath to calm his frustration. Deciding to take one more scan of the room before he headed back home, he noticed a brick that seemed to poke out of sync with the others along the wall. He quickly examined it and pulled at the brick in hopes it wouldn't topple the whole foundation. Surprisingly, it wriggled free rather easily and when he looked inside the small hole it made, there was a notebook. Finally something that might be useful. Raphael reached in and pulled it out, happy to see that it had survived the flames. With just mild smoke damage, it was more or less readable. Opening it quickly, he read the first entry to himself.

 _I have been told that no record of this may exist, but I could not let what happened here go unnoticed. It has been almost a year since we were hired to examine the subject and my colleagues have lost all moral reason. I plan on escaping and taking the subject with me, but if for some reason I am unsuccessful, it's my hope that someone will find this place and expose what was done here._

 _The subject has been monitored at all hours of the day and kept away from sunlight. Only our head researcher, Dr. Conners, really knows the reason for what we are doing here, but I can stomach it no longer._

 _The first few weeks seemed to be routine procedures. Taking blood for testing, examining the subjects reactions to mild pain and shock, but after our employer did not see the results he desired, we were told to do the unthinkable. The tests since then have been inhuman. My colleagues have been driven to madness and so have I.  
However, we have taken different paths in this fall to darkness. While my colleagues try to save their sanity by justifying the mutilation of the subject, I have retained my conscious and can perhaps be redeemed somehow, but I must help her. I must get her out of here. _

Raphael read these words and wasn't sure he was breathing. He must have been talking about Evelyn. Test subject?! Inhuman experiments?! He took a deep breath and turned the page to read the next entry.

 _I was approached by Dr. Conners a few days ago. I think he is becoming suspicious of the time I have been requesting with the subject. His eyes have become wild and I fear I am running out of time. He has restricted my access to her and placed me on monitor duty as if to punish me or perhaps it is an attempt to finally push me over the edge. For three days now, I have been forced to helplessly watch my colleagues preform what I can only describe as torture. It was today that Dr. Conners took something from the subject. I have done my best to find out where he hid it, but I failed. He must still have it somewhere._

 _Though I am sincere in my wish that someone finds this place, I can't bring myself to describe the horror I have witnessed. I am a coward. I don't want my family to remember me as a man who would take pleasure in these things. If I am to die, I will die nameless and without a grave. If I can save her, I will know I am still human and will have died that way. I will not lose my life as a monster._

 _My only reprieve on monitor duty is that I have been able to sneak a recording of the monitor. Unbeknownst to Dr. Conners, I have managed to tuck away a video. This tape is a record of what he took. The only evidence of where it might be. Tomorrow, I will attempt to free her and if I am successful, I pray that she will return to where she was found in hopes that will lead her home._

 _The tape I hid away will be left where I know it's safe. The only place that Dr. Conners doesn't know where to look. I don't plan on making it out alive with her, in fact, I plan on burying my colleagues with me. The only way to make amends for what we have done is to burn it all away. I am not without guilt and the colleagues that I once called friends are beyond redemption on this earth. I will cleanse this sinful place in fire and remove our evil from the world._

 _If you find this, if you can somehow forgive what we have done, I only ask that you find her. Make sure she is safe. I must still be careful in what I say, our employer's are still out there and even if I remove the evil they have turned us into, there is nothing I can do about them. I hope that whomever finds this can, at the very least, expose them._

 _This will be my last entry and one of the only pieces of evidence that I ever lived. If she can escape and recollect what was taken from her, perhaps there is hope._

The pages after that were all empty and left Raphael's mind reeling. What he discovered here had given birth to nothing but questions and an overwhelming desire to hurl. If the girl this man mentioned was actually Evelyn, that meant that she had been kept here and subjected to torture. Why? Wasn't she human? What could they have been trying to find? And if there wasn't supposed to be a record...why was there a photograph? Nothing here made much sense, but at least it was something. He stood in the abandoned room and glared down at the dusty rubble. This wasn't what he hoped to find. This wasn't what he wanted to find at all...


	5. A Gamble and a Resolve

**Chapter Five: A gamble and a resolve.**

Raphael couldn't even remember how he had gotten back to the lair. What he found in that abandoned room weighed so heavily on his mind that his body just seemed to move on it's own. How long did he stand in the dust and debris before he finally left? Physically, there were three things he brought back with him. A photograph that shouldn't have existed, a few pages of what he considered a suicide note, and small bottle filled with an unknown black liquid. Mentally, he brought back more than he ever wanted to. Evelyn was the only girl in the photograph, so who was that woman in black that led him there? The turtle was lost in his thoughts as his feet dragged him into the Dojo. Everything was silent and it was a small consolation that everyone seemed to be sleeping. The last thing he needed now was another fight with his brother or anyone asking where he had been. He didn't want to go back to his room and even though he would never admit it, all he wanted was to see Evelyn's face.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep recently, but when he stepped into the Dojo and saw her peacefully sleeping there, his heart wrenched painfully. If what he learned was true, this girl had been tortured. She had been held captive and treated like a lab rat. He couldn't connect the timeline yet. All he knew was that it was at least a year for her in that room. All of that pain...and he didn't think about her safety when they first met. He didn't think twice about the actions he took until she fell to the ground. With a short breath, the turtle knelt down by her bedside and with his fists clenched in his lap, he closed his eyes tight as his shoulders trembled just a bit.  
"...I'm sorry..." he whispered through gritted teeth.

"...Raphael?" Evelyn asked in a sleepy groan as she opened her eyes a little.

He flinched and quickly opened his eyes to see her tired expression. Reaching over almost instinctively, he placed his hand over her eyes to cover them.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she asked now, bringing her hands up to uncover her face.

"Just...don't look at me..." he pleaded.

Her fingers were barely resting on his hand before she heard his plea. She could have sworn that his voice cracked and his hand trembled lightly against her face. Instead of pulling his hand away, she placed her hands over his and nodded silently.

"...What happened?" whispered Evelyn. Clearly he was upset, but she had no idea why. Was it the fight with Leo that bothered him?

"Nothing." he replied quietly.

"..." Evelyn gripped his hand gently and nodded again, "...okay." she conceded. It was clear that he didn't want to talk about it and she didn't know what else to do besides offer what little comfort she could by holding his hand. Even if that hand was covering her eyes.  
"...Aren't you tired?" asked Evelyn softly.

He was silent for a while before he sighed. "...yeah. ...I'm tired," admitted the turtle.

"Than it's okay to get a little rest...isn't it?" she asked as she gently pulled his hand from her face. With a warm smile, Evelyn kept her eyes closed so she could her promise not to look at him.

A lump formed in Raphael's throat as he pulled his hand away from her. "...yeah."  
Nothing more was said that night between them. Raphael took his usual place against the wall and closed his eyes. He felt so emotionally drained that sleep would probably come easy. Just like that first night she was brought here, he would stay by her side and keep her safe. Only now...he really didn't know what he was protecting her from. Was Shredder their employer? Or was someone else out there looking for her? These were the last questions that plagued his mind before he was finally able to drift into a deep sleep.

Evelyn turned her head to make sure Raphael was asleep now. A fight with his brother and when he returned his actions had been more than curious. For three weeks, he was overly protective of her. Making sure that she ate and slept on time and that Mikey wasn't too rough with her when he pushed her around. She was used to those types of actions since they all seemed to be directed at a single purpose, but tonight, he seemed different. For now, she would let him sleep and hope that in the morning everything would be okay.

It felt as if she had just closed her eyes before she felt someone shaking her gently.  
"Wakey, wakey eggs and bakey..." Michelangelo announced happily.

Evelyn opened her eyes and turned her gaze to where Raphael had been sleeping, but he was no longer there. As Mikey supported her back to help her sit up, she kept her eyes at the well.

"...Did Raphael leave again?" asked Evelyn before she looked at Mikey.

"All I know is that he didn't want any breakfast..." pouted Michelangelo, "but that just means more for us," he finished happily. Mikey took the chopsticks and held a piece of the omelet to her face with anticipation. Evelyn smiled and took the piece into her mouth. As promised, it was pizza flavored and filled with chunks of something rather salty.

"Mm!" She exclaimed happily in an attempt to compliment his cooking. Even if the salty chunks were probably going to turn her stomach. In fact it felt almost instant that her stomach wrenched once she swallowed. A pain started to ripple through her and she had no choice but to hunch over and place her hands against her waist. It hurt so terribly that Evelyn couldn't suppress her reaction fast enough.  
"aaAAAAAHHH!" she screamed in agony and Michelangelo panicked at once.

"Eve! What's wrong?!" he shouted as he placed his hands against her shoulders to try and steady her.

"It-It feels like-I'm on fire!" She cried out in between in her pained gasps for breath. She could barely focus. Every bone in her body felt as if they were trying to burn her from the inside out.

"Master Splinter! LEO! Donnie! Ra-" Mikey made an attempt to call for the others, but before he could finish, Raphael had rushed over to Evelyn and shoved Michelangelo away from her. "She's hurt! I-I don't know what happened!" Mikey exclaimed quickly as he scrambled to his feet to loom over her. Raphael took her shoulders and forced her to sit up straight so that he could see her face. His eyes were desperate as he was helpless to fix anything, but when he lifted her up a little...the screaming stopped. The brothers were silent; afraid to move or say a word in fear that either action would cause the pain to continue.

Evelyn panted for breath and stared in disbelief at her own lap. Her eyes were wide and confused. When she finally looked up, everyone had entered the room and they were all looking at her in cautious concern. Master Splinter, Leonardo, and Donatello ran into the room when they heard Mikey calling, but when they arrived she was just sitting there, as if woken from a bad dream.

"...Eve?" Michelangelo started gently, "...you okay?"

She turned her head slowly to meet Mikey's gaze and her expression was blank as she rose to her feet. Each turtle flinched and tried to reach over in order to help her, but watched in surprise when it didn't seem necessary. Evelyn stood up now and placed her hands against her ribs, pressing down on them just a little to confirm something.

"...I...I'm better..." she whispered in shock and disbelief. She was even putting pressure on her broken leg and it didn't hurt at all. She could breath normally now and her wrist was no longer sore. How? So many broken bones and a sudden fire in her body and everything was just gone? None of the brothers dared to touch her. Each afraid in that moment that any physical contact would resolve in more pain.

"You're...healed?" Leonardo asked finally to break the shocked silence.

"How is that possible?" Donatello added as he stepped towards her now and cautiously took her right hand to carefully examine it.

Evelyn was overjoyed and confused. After three weeks of being useless, she was finally well. Not that she didn't question how quickly it happened or the sudden rush of agony, but she was too elated to worry about that right now. She ripped her hand from Donatello and instead, wrapped her arms around him with a bright smile.

"I'm better! It doesn't hurt anymore!" she exclaimed as she held him tight.

Donnie straightened his back a little and looked at Raphael in a panic. Unsure what to do. It wasn't that he felt awkward in the hug, it was his fear of a beating from Raphael that caused his anxiety. Luckily, Evelyn released him quickly and looked at all the others with a smile from ear to ear.

"See?!" she asked as she hopped on her previously broken leg for just a moment in order to prove it to them.

"But...how?" Leonardo asked.

"What does it matter how?" Raphael snapped, "She's better now. Isn't that all that matters?"

"Yeah but-" Leonardo started.

"-My omelet has healing powers!" shouted Michelangelo in awe, raising his arms in triumph, "I wish I could remember what I put in it!" He finished in a panic as he searched his brain to recall everything he had tossed in the mix.

"I highly doubt your cooking mends bone." Donatello insisted.

"The proof is in the pudding, non-believer." Mikey replied as he gently knocked his hand against Evelyn's ribs. She giggled and pulled Michelangelo into a tight embrace.

"Magic omelet or not," she started happily, "I'm so glad! Thank you!"  
She wasn't sure who she was actually thanking, but her excitement overwhelmed all the questions that her recovery had raised.

"Leonardo is right. ...It is curious that your injuries would heal so suddenly." Master Splinter commented finally, "Perhaps it would be best to take it easy."

"And I need to examine you." Donatello insisted, "...and I guess the omelet as well." he added begrudgingly. He was not about to believe that an omelet Mikey made had healed her, but he had to rule it out. At this point, he had consider all options.

Raphael crossed his arms over his chest and scoffed, "You don't really believe that it's a magic healing omelet do you?!"

"Of course not!" Donnie replied at once, " but it's worth looking at. You didn't take anything from my lab did you, Mikey?" he asked now, glaring at his brother in suspicion.

"I would never! ...you were in there so I couldn't." he muttered as he glanced away.

Donatello sighed in aggravation and ran his hand over his face while he tried to think. "Okay...well I'll make sure to run some tests on the food anyhow."

"Oh come on!" Raphael demanded as he strode over to Evelyn's bedside and picked up the plate of food, "Here's your test." insisted Raphael before he opened his mouth and tilted the plate to shove the rest of the omelet down his throat.

"Raph!" Donatello exclaimed in concern and annoyance, "What are you doing?! It could be toxic!"

"It's just a bunch of eggs and probably some trash Mikey found on the road!" He demanded in anger, "It would just be a wild goose chase to look into it. Just...run your tests on Eve and make sure she is okay. I'm going back to bed." He added gruffly before he stomped off to his room for a little rest.

Everyone else was left in the room and each one had a very different expression. Master Splinter seemed calm as ever, Mikey was pouting over the loss of his magic healing breakfast, Donatello seemed frustrated over his brother's behavior, Evelyn was still hugging Mikey with a smile, but Leonardo kept his eyes towards Raphael's bedroom door. This was all a little suspicious. With how overprotective Raph had been the past weeks it was unlike him to dismiss anything strange she may have eaten so insistently.

Back in his bedroom, Raphael leaned against his door and once he confirmed no one was going to follow him in there, he put his fingers down his throat in order to induce vomiting. After a moment or two, he finally wrenched over and expelled the omelet he had just eaten. He coughed a little and wiped his mouth as he took a few smooth breaths. He couldn't afford to have Donatello run tests on the food so he needed them to think it was gone, but he didn't want to keep it in his system. He knew what was in there and just in case it didn't agree with him, it was best to get it out. Raphael knew not to eat it because before Mikey brought the food in for Eve, he had secretly placed a drop of that black substance into her breakfast. It was a risk and he hated himself for causing her pain, but the woman said it would make her better. After that woman led him to the abandoned room, he felt he could take a little risk to trust her. It was gamble...but she had told the truth. Evelyn was better now. The relief he felt was more than worth the risk of eating that laced food, but he didn't want his brothers to know. He still wasn't sure who that woman was, or who Evelyn really used to be, but this was something he would take care of. He didn't need any help. Evelyn was his responsibility and no matter what he had to do, he was going to make sure that she was happy and safe. If Leonardo knew what he had discovered, he might try to make her remember for more answers. That was the last thing he wanted for her. If he could figure this all out without letting her remember that torture, he would do everything he could.

He looked down at the mess he made and pulled the folded up photograph out of his strap. His only lead now was Dr. Conners. It was the only name mentioned and if he could find this man, or his family, maybe he would get a little closer to the truth. Raphael tossed the photo onto his nightstand and grabbed a towel to start cleaning up the discarded contents of his stomach.

Outside his door, Leonardo leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. While the others celebrated in the Dojo, Leo had arrived to Raph's door just in time to hear his brother wretch. He listened silently for a moment after that to make sure that Raphael wasn't going to collapse or start screaming, but when he heard him start to wipe up his mess, Leonardo became ever more suspicious. He glared at the door before turning to walk away. His brother was hiding something and it became clear that he knew exactly what was in her breakfast to make her better. Something was going on and Leonardo was not going to let it pass so easily. For now however, he would join the others and continue to let Raphael think he was in the clear. 

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the positive feedback. I love writing and I welcome any criticism that might help to make my writing better. I'm always happy to read the reactions to the chapters and I hope that you all will continue to follow Evelyn and the Turtles as the mystery begins to unravel.**


	6. A Darkness in the Light

**Chapter Six: A Darkness in Light**

A few days since Evelyn's _miraculous healing breakfast,_ and Donatello had not been able to find the reason for her complete recovery. After running as many tests on her that he could think of, he was forced to give up. Not that he still wasn't going to look for an explanation. He was determined to disprove Mikey's _healing omelet_ theory.

Evelyn was enjoying all the freedom that came with being out of her wheelchair. She and Mikey were able to have a lot more fun as they explored the tunnels. He was even able to introduce her to leather head, both agreeing to keep that fact a secret from Raphael. She was even able to start training. Master Splinter would work with her while the others were all out on missions and she already expressed her preference for the Kusari Fundo (a 48 inch chain with weights at both ends) as her weapon of choice once he allowed her to train with one. Her confidence for hand to hand combat wasn't great, so she figured that a long distance weapon would be the way to go. April was also putting in a little extra mental training since she was hoping to help Eve unlock her lost memories. The turtles were counting on April's abilities since they had hit a dead end with Evelyn's identity. The only one who had found any leads at all was Raphael and he was not eager to share this information.

For Evelyn however, this was not a pressing matter. Since she didn't have any memories prior to meeting the turtles, this was the only life that she knew. Why would she want anything more? After all, you can't miss what you never had, right?

Having her injuries mended was such a blessing, but she had started to notice some changes. Raphael wasn't around her as often anymore. In fact, he would spend most of his free time in his room and away from the others. Perhaps he only fussed over her so much because she was hurt and didn't want to be around her anymore now that she was better? Whatever the reason, she felt a little cast aside by the Sai wielding turtle. She even found herself at his door every now and then, but never had the nerve to knock and see him.

"What are you doing?" asked Michelangelo as he strode up to her with his skateboard in hand.

Eve flinched and turned around to face him as she quickly hid her hands behind her back. "No-Nothing! What are you doing?" she deflected at once.

"I'm gonna go skateboarding!" He announced happily, "Wanna come with me?"

"Huh? But...Leonardo and Master Splinter told me I wasn't allowed on the surface yet..." replied Evelyn with an unsure tone.

"Come on! It's the middle of the day! And we'll stay on the rooftops where no one will see you!"

She bit her bottom lip gently and cautiously glanced around to make sure no one could hear them talking about this. Raphael must not have heard, or she was certain he would burst open his door and protest. She wasn't scared to go top side, in fact, she was anxious to finally leave the sewer for an outing, but she did worry about making Leo or Splinter angry. Although...if no one knew that she had left...

"Okay," she agreed in a hushed voice, leaning close to whisper to the freckled turtle, "but if anyone asks, we were just exploring the tunnels...okay?"

"Gotcha!" he agreed with a snap of his fingers before he grabbed her hand and pulled her along with a smile. Evelyn smiled as well, giggling a bit as Mikey began to pick up the pace. She always had so much fun with him and he seemed to enjoy the fact that everything was new to her, so he could be the one to show her the fun stuff.

Once they had reached the surface through a manhole cover in a shaded alleyway, Mikey reached down to help her up and out. It was brighter than she thought it would be, and admittedly, it burned her eyes a bit. At least they were in the shade so it didn't seem so bad. Mikey turned his back to her and looked over his shoulder, pointing at his shell.

"Hop on! I'll carry ya to the rooftop." he offered happily.

Eve blushed just a little and nodded her head, "Are you sure I wont be too heavy?" she asked as she wrapped her arms over his shoulders.

"I got this." he replied simply, "Just hang on."

Evelyn nodded her head and gripped his shell as best she could. She wasn't really worried about being heavy, she was worried that she might lose her grip and fall. Ending up back in that wheelchair yet again. Though everything seemed easy for the Turtle as he scaled the drain pipe along the wall. It didn't take long at all to reach the rooftop and because they had reached the top, there was no longer anything to shade the direct sunlight from Eve's face.

The very moment that the sunlight touched her skin, everything went dark for the girl. Her eyes went wide, but covering her hazel hues now was a pitch black color. Her eyes went completely back, not that Mikey could see them at the moment. Her whole body felt as if something was pulsing to the loud beat of her heart. Her silence had finally caught Michelangelo's attention and he got to his feet on the roof and set Evelyn down. When he finally was able to see her face, he was horrified.

This girl, who just a moment ago, was so happy about going outside, now looked like a broken doll. Her eyes were empty and covered in darkness, spilling what he assumed to be blood along her cheeks. She stood there, arms limp and staring at nothing with wide eyes, but a lifeless expression.

"EVE!?" He shouted desperately as he reached over and grabbed her shoulders to shake her. "What's going on?! Say something!" Mikey panicked and felt his eyes burn slightly as tears began to form. He really cared about Evelyn and if he made a mistake and did something wrong...what could he do to fix this?

Her head merely bobbed gently as he shook her, completely unresponsive as he tried to bring her back around. Evelyn herself could just barely hear his voice over something else in her head. Unable to see, unable to move, she could hear a voice that seemed to slowly get louder. Someone was calling to her and their words echoed in the distant dark of her mind. What were they saying? It felt important, but she couldn't make out the words.

Mikey couldn't just stand here and shake her anymore. He had to go for help. The frantic turtle picked her up swiftly, jumping down from the roof and trying to rush her back down to the lair so that Donnie could look at her. He had her draped over his shoulder while he climbed down the ladder. "Don't worry, Eve! Donnie's gonna fix you up! I promise!" he shouted desperately, hoping to get some response from her, or at least keep her calm. Not that he was very calm himself. He could practically feel his rapid heart beat against his shell as he panicked.

"...get...it back..." she murmured softly, barely speaking above a whisper.

"Huh?! EVE?!" Mikey exclaimed, halting his rush back home to help her off his shoulder and letting her sit against the sewer wall. His eyes examined her face desperately, but her own eyes were closed now as if she were sleeping. Seeing the blood streaks that lined her face, he could feel tears pour down his own. "Eve...come on...please wake up..." he pleaded, pulling her into an embrace and hugging her tight. He didn't know what to do and he could barely think while she looked like this.

"...m...m-mikey...?" she breathed, barely registering what was going on. She couldn't even really feel his arms around her, but his voice seemed to reach her in the dark. Her eyes were opening slightly, but it was hard to tell if they were really open since everything was still dark and too blurry for her to see at the moment.

Michelangelo gasped and pulled away, holding her shoulders firmly as he stared at her in wide eyed shock. His face finally started to come into view and even though she felt disoriented and confused, she lifted an unsteady hand and placed her palm against his cheek to wipe his tears slowly with her thumb.

"...are you...hurt?" she asked, staring at his face with a dazed expression. Not at all sure what had occurred. The last thing she remembered was holding onto him so that they could scale the wall.

Finally able to take a breath, he leaned in close and kissed her cheeks before he held her against him once again. The moments in which he thought she was gone forever...they terrified him and he couldn't speak a word now that she was awake. All he wanted to do was hold her and hope that his trembling shoulders would soon be still. Being a ninja, there were lots of times when he thought he might lose someone or even slip away himself, but they weren't on a mission. They weren't even fighting anyone by chance, it just happened so fast and unexpectedly that it completely shook him to his core. Evelyn was family now and after all the time they spent together he couldn't help but care for her.

Evelyn was barely beginning to come around when he kissed her cheeks. She blushed a little as she looked over his shoulder, her arms locked at her sides in his tight embrace. "Mikey...? What happened?"

He shook his head and held her a little tighter. She gasped lightly as he pulled her body against his, compressing her chest. It was almost too difficult to breath, but she managed.  
"...Okay. ...We'll just...stay like this..." said Evelyn softly as she did her best to return his embrace.

What had Mikey so spooked? Evelyn tried hard to recall anything that might have happened, but came up empty. She'd never seen Michelangelo so shaken and it pulled at her heart strings. The turtle held her for a long time before he finally released her, albeit, very slowly. When he looked up at her, his eyes were wet with tears. The lump in his throat hindered any words that he tried to speak. All he seemed able to manage was a small smile as he looked at the confused girl.

"...I...don't know what happened...but..." Evelyn started as she cupped his face in her hands and wiped the streaks of tears with her thumbs, "...it will be okay."

Mikey exhaled in a small laugh, smiling a little more now. His watery eyes were a mix of the fear he felt then and the happiness he felt now. Her hazel hues looked just the same as they did this morning and that very sight was enough for him to crack a smile.  
"Don't do that again..." he said finally, wiping the blood stains on her cheeks with the bandages that were wrapped around his hand. He just couldn't stand to see her face marked like that.

As he wiped her cheeks, Evelyn smiled with a confused expression. Had she been crying or did she have something on her face? Still, she was just relieved to see that he was no longer upset. She nodded her head a little in reply and made to stand up.

"Wait!" Mikey shouted in a panic before he scooped her up and held her like a princess, too quickly for her to protest.

"Mikey?!" Evelyn exclaimed, while a bright red blush laced her cheeks, "I can walk now, you can put me down!"

"Uh-uh!" he insisted as he shook his head, "I'm carrying you and the second we get back, we need to see Donnie."

"What? Why?" she asked in bewilderment as Michelangelo began to sprint back to the lair.

"I'll explain when we get there." he replied, his voice still cracking a little. The emotions that rushed through him earlier were still too close to the surface and he couldn't get the image of her blackened, bleeding eyes from his mind. Something was very wrong. Did it have anything to do with who she used to be and why Shredder wanted her? Either way, the reason was only important if it meant that they could fix it and he would never have to see her like that again.

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter was a little late, but this weekend was a little busy for me. Also, I know that Raph wasn't in this, but I wanted to do a little more on Mikey's relationship with Evelyn. We'll see Raphael again in the next chapter when the identity of Evelyn starts to gain a little more momentum.  
Thanks again for reading.**


	7. A Shock to Her System

**Chapter Seven: A Shock to Her System.**

After Evelyn's recovery, Raphael had a little more freedom to go off on his own. He would often leave the Lair, or stay out by himself after a typical mission. He didn't like having to spend so much time away from Eve, but after that black stuff had actually worked, he was eager to find that woman again. It was only a couple of days into his search and everything seemed to be fine at home. Master Splinter was training Evelyn and she spent a lot of time with Donnie and Mikey. What mattered to him is that she was happy and taken care of and not flirting with Leonardo.

Raphael took the opportunity to sneak out of the Lair that day to return to warehouse nine and get a better look at things. He still had so many questions and the last time he was there, he didn't stay too long after learning what happened. Since it was the middle of the day, there wouldn't be anything for him and the others to do until night fall. So for now, he was free to explore. The dusty room was just as he left it. He hated being back here. Each time he thought about this place, he was reminded of all the torture that Evelyn might have gone through and what she could potentially remember about it. He was now determined to shift through all the salvageable furniture and search for any other secrets this room might hold. He may not have been as smart as Donnie, but he wasn't stupid. Someone else had been here and left this picture, the picture that wasn't supposed to exist. There was no way that the man who wrote that suicide note would have known about the picture since he was so careful in what he wrote down, and if everyone died in this room except for Evelyn, who was the one that boarded up the room? Always more questions than answers here. He rummaged through the damaged work desk and found mostly ashes. He growled under his breath and kicked the desk down. It toppled quickly and he took a deep breath to try and calm himself. He was finding nothing here. Clearly, with the exception of the man who tried to save her, everyone else here had followed the rules. No records were kept here. He left the room and covered the door one more time with the crates before he jumped to the rooftops and decided to follow another lead. Dr. Conners. He didn't want Leonardo to know about all this, but there was no reason he couldn't ask for help from an old friend. He may have gone by a different name now, but he would always be Spike to Raphael. He just had to get in contact with the Mutanimals.

It didn't take as long as he thought it would track them down. A giant basket of bread crumbs and one hour later, Pigeon Pete was on the scene and eating his fill. After he let the mutant finish, he asked to speak to Spike. When he was finally brought to his old friend, they exchanged greetings and he pulled out the photo from his strap.

"Her name is Eve. I'm looking for a Dr. Conners...and I don't want my brothers to know about it. At least, not yet." Raphael admitted as he placed the photo down so the others could see it. Slash, Rockwell, and Leatherhead all leaned in to take a look.

"Michelangelo introduced me to this one." Leatherhead replied gruffly, pointing at the girl in the photo.

Raphael flinched and clenched his fists. He would have to knock some sense into his little brother when he returned home.

"...Hmmmm..." Rockwell started as he started at the photograph, rubbing his chin in thought, "I knew a Dr. Conners when I was human. ...and I believe I was introduced to this girl as well..." he said quietly as he tried to recall the incident.

"What?! You met her! What was her name?!" prodded Raphael desperately. This is was first break he had gotten since that woman in black showed up.

"I was not told her name. The man came in and asked me to study her. He insisted she was his daughter, but I suspected otherwise. The studies he asked for...seemed a little too unethical for me. I declined and sent him on his way." Rockwell explained.

Raph's shoulders dropped a little. So he didn't know her either.  
"Was there anything about her you can remember that might help me?" he asked.

"Hmmm. ...The girl seemed blissfully unaware of the world around her...and she held this black, glass sphere the entire time. I remember the meeting because of it's strange nature. When he brought her to me, he insisted all windows be shut so no sunlight would enter the room. He claimed she had a disorder that made sunlight harmful for her."

Raphael took note of that. In the mans letter, it mentioned keeping her away from light. Thinking about it a little further, when they met Eve, it was nighttime and she had her eyes bandaged. Since then, she had been kept in the sewers. So there was no direct sunlight on her the entire time. What would happen to her in sunlight?

"Okay. ...so Dr. Conners. What do you know about him?" continued Raphael.

"Well, from what I recall, he was doing research on the aging process. His research had potential, but one day...he and his research team just vanished. In the scientific community, it was rather big news. Their bank accounts had been untouched and their homes completely abandoned without taking a single personal item." Rockwell answered, "of course I didn't know him personally, so I can only tell you what I heard from the rumors."

"Great." Raphael replied genuinely. This was actually helpful. At least more helpful than anything else he had found in the past few days. (which was nothing.)

"Sorry I can't be of more help," Rockwell replied sincerely, "that girl looked very sweet when I met her."

"Well...if you guys can help me track down more info on Dr. Conner's research team? There was someone on his team that didn't agree with him and hid something from him. I need to find it." Raphael asked as he glanced down at the men in the photograph. Among them was one man that had saved Evelyn from her torture. He needed to find out who that was.

"We'll do what he can Raph." Slash agreed, "anything for a friend."

"Thanks Spike." he replied with a smile. This day had gone better than he hoped for. A little more information on Eve and Dr. Conners, and now he had a little more help. He trusted that Spike wouldn't let him down.

After a little while of catching up, Raphael decided to head back and check on the girl. If Mikey was taking her around the sewers to meet with unstable alligator's, who knows what else he was up to. Besides wanting to see Evelyn, he needed a little rest. Sneaking out after missions left him little to no time for sleep. He left the photograph with Spike so they could identify the team and set on his way. All in all, this day went rather well. He might just get a little rest today.

Back at the Lair however, Mikey had ran Eve back home in a desperate attempt to get her to Donatello. Evelyn was still completely confused since Michelangelo refused to tell her what was going on, but it was clear by his expression that he was worried and upset. Once they had returned home and found Donatello and April in the main room, Mikey ran past them and insisted they all meet him in the lab. Clearly, he was panicked and the others didn't question it until they all arrived in the room.

"What's this all about, Mikey?" Donatello asked as his brother was setting Eve down on the exam table to sit down.

"Y-You need to look at Eve, again. You must have missed something!" he shouted as he held Eveyln's hand tight.

"What are you talking about?" Donnie and Eve asked, almost at the same time.

"I...I took Eve up to the surface with me..." Mikey admitted shamefully as he glanced at the floor, "...and...when we were up there...she...something happened. She started bleeding and...and her eyes went dark, like, completely black! I tried to snap her out of it, but she couldn't hear me. She just...stood there..." he finished, feeling tears grip at his eyes once more. He didn't want to remember it and he wished he hadn't brought her up there at all.

Evelyn, Donatello, and April seemed in complete shock. Eve in particular. She didn't remember any of this and she felt sick because of it. She was bleeding and her eyes went black? What did that mean? She covered her mouth with her palm and could feel her hands trembling. What was she?

Michelangelo could feel her shaking and he quickly turned to her.  
"Eve? You okay? Are you hurt?" he asked, on the verge of tears.

She glanced at Mikey and seeing the concern and pain on his face was enough to break her heart. Michelangelo was so sweet and kind...she hated that she had scared him this way and couldn't even remember it. She shook her head in reply and leaned over to hug him close to herself. The freckled turtle didn't say a word before he hugged her back. The both of them could surely use the comfort right now.

"Evelyn..." Donatello started cautiously, "...how do you feel right now?"

Eve turned her gaze to Donnie and wasn't sure how to answer that. She felt fine to be honest, but now that she knew all this, her stomach was upset.

"What happened?!" the others heard Raphael shout as he stormed into the lab. Everyone there was noticeably on edge now. Even more so than before.

"Mikey...took Eve to the surface and I guess...she had a bad reaction to something." April replied finally, trying to ease the tension a little.

"What?!" Raphael exclaimed before rushing over to Evelyn's side, "Did you go in the sun?! Why would you go up there?! We told you it wasn't safe!"

"...Why...would you specify...the sun?" Evelyn asked slowly.

Raphael panicked a little and tried to back track at once, "I just, I meant that you really shouldn't go out during the day. Especially since the Shredder might still be after you."

With the exception of Michelangelo, everyone stared at Raph suspiciously. Evelyn didn't like how specific he was about the sun. As if he knew something that they didn't.

"...Do you know something?" she asked now.

"No." Raphael answered quickly.

Evelyn pulled from Mikey's arms and slid down from the exam table, approaching Raphael slowly. "What do you know?" she asked as she stared up into his emerald eyes, "...Why are you worried about me going out in the sun? Tell me..."

"I'm not!" he insisted, visibly nervous.

She took her eyes from him and glanced at the ground to think for a moment. If he knew something and refused to tell her, than she had no choice.

"Donnie...come with me to the surface," she started with determination, "bring something to restrain me or something...maybe something to take samples just in case. We'll look into this."

Donatello was all for exploring this mystery, but Raphael and Mikey but shook their heads.

"You are not going up there." Raphael said simply.

"Tell me why." Eve said again.

"There's nothing to tell."

"...fine," she started as she made to walk past him, "than I will find out for myself."

"No!" Raphael shouted, grabbing her arm to stop her.

"Tell my why!" she insisted, looking up at him with angry tears gripping at the edge of her eyes. She hated being so ignorant about herself and depending on others to protect her. Now she was worried that they may need protection from her. Now, Raphael knew something and refused to tell. It hurt that he would do this to her and it hurt even more since she had scared Mikey and she didn't know how to keep from doing it again.

Raphael stared down at her with an uncertain expression. She was determined and he didn't like to upset her like this, but he just wasn't sure that she could handle it. Finally, he made the choice and took a small breath.

"I can't. ...At least, not yet. ...Just...trust me. You can't go back into the sun until I have a few more answers." he tried to see if this was enough for her. At least for now.

Evelyn looked as though he had just turned his back on her. A lump formed in her throat and she wiped her eyes before turning away from him.  
"I trust you...but right now...I...just can't take this." she responded before jerking her arm from his grip and running off. She hated this frustrating feeling. There was so much that she couldn't remember and now Raphael had found something he was keeping it to himself. _Trust him? When he clearly didn't trust her? He was asking quite a lot from her right now.  
_ April ran after Eve in an attempt to help comfort her or perhaps get her to come back to the lab.

Raphael reached out as she ran away, but decided it was best to leave her alone right now. Why was he always messing up around her? All he ever seemed to do was hurt her.

"Raph...I think it's time you told us what is going on." Donatello demanded now, fairly confused and upset himself. His brother was hiding some and he didn't like it.

"Yeah, Raph. Why don't you tell us what's going on." Leonardo said as he approached his brothers and pulled a bottle from his strap, holding it out for all to see. The black liquid bottle the woman had given Raphael.

Raph flinched and instead of answering, was completely enraged about another issue.  
"You went snooping through my stuff?!"

"I had to. You've been acting so strange lately. You're off your game when we fight the Kraang, you sneak out all the time, and now you freak out at Eve for stepping in the sun? I think I've been more than patient with you, all things considered. Now...there is no way I'm going to let this pass. Tell us what you know about Evelyn." Leonardo demanded finally. His very gaze suggesting that this was not up for debate.

Leaving the brothers to deal with their internal problem, Eve had made her way to the shell raiser, annoyed, upset, and hurt. Didn't she deserve to know what was going? It was about _her_ after all. Didn't that kind of make this her business? Was she just supposed to scare Mikey and find this all out on her own through mistakes like that? She leaned her back against the subway car and slid down against it in order to hug her knees to herself and hide her face in her arms. None of this seemed very fair. To her, or to the turtles.

"I hate this..." she breathed quietly.

"...do you want to know who you are?" a voice echoed from the tunnels softly, causing Eve to lift her head at once and look around frantically. She could not see a soul.

"...who...?" she started before rising to her feet now.

"I can help you..." the voice came again, it sounded like a mix of several people talking at once, both male and femal in nature.

"How?" Evelyn asked the air as she was unable to find the source of this voice.

"...come here..." the voice replied as a pair of glowing white eyes appeared in the darkness of the tunnel ahead.

"Just tell me how you can help..." she insisted, the eyes giving her the chills at once. There was no way she was just going to follow a pair of white eyes blindly into a dark tunnel.

"...I know who you are..." the voice began, it's eerie sound filling the tunnels, "...my fallen angel..."

The last thing the voice said seemed to strike a nerve with Eve. Her whole body felt as if it were on fire once again. Just like after she ate that omelet. She hugged her shoulders and dropped to her knees as she screamed out in pain. It was loud enough for the Turtles to hear and they were at her side almost at once, leaving their ongoing argument for the moment. April stood with the Turtles and pulled out her fan.

"What did you do to her?!" April demanded as she pointed at the glowing eyes in the distance.

The eyes looked calm for a only a moment before their gaze turned wild and chilling, trashing in the dark with a fury.  
"I NEED _HER_!" it cried out. The multiple voices uniting as one in the darkness, "NOT YYYOOOOOOUUU!"

As the eyes thrashed about, Evelyn opened her eyes wide and cried out again. There was blood coming from her once again. Her ears, her eyes, and her mouth. She screamed as the blood trailed down her face and the turtles tried desperately to calm her down. Raphael couldn't take it anymore. He cried out angrily before he pulled out his twin Sai and ran into the darkness to attack the creature.

"Raph! Don't go after it! Stay here!" Leonardo tried to stop him, but Raphael was already darting off towards the eyes.

Once Raphael began to advance on the eyes, they seemed to vanish quickly along with the pitch black that they hid away in. Raphael looked around to make sure they were gone before rushing back to Evelyn. Everyone was huddled around her. She was no longer screaming, but she had a firm grip on her shoulders, shaking uncontrollably as she stared in wide eyed fear at the ground.

"Evelyn! Come on! Say something!" Mikey pleaded desperately, shaking her shoulders a little.

"Maybe we can shock her!" Donatello suggested in a hurry, "If we can shock her from her current state, she may begin to calm down."

"Shock her how?" Leonardo asked, "what would shock her enough to calm her down?"

Raphael thought for a moment. He couldn't think of anything that might surprise her enough. Besides, she didn't seem to be listening to them anyhow. Finally, a thought came to mind. He took a deep breath and pushed past his brothers to kneel down in front of her.

"I'm only doing this to help ya!" he insisted before he placed one hand at the back of her head and pulled her head in a little so that he could meet her lips with his own. His brothers were shocked completely still at his solution, staring at the scene in disbelief as Raphael kissed the girl. April was equally as surprised, unsure how to respond to this. Raphael was kissing someone. Not just anyone, he was kissing Evelyn. A human girl! His tactic surely seemed to shock the onlookers, but would it work on Evelyn?


	8. Conflicted Hearts

**Chapter Eight: Conflicted Hearts**

Evelyn was lost from the world. The voices that came from the darkness had shaken her to the core and her whole body was in pain. It was as if someone had pressed pause in her brain. She was only vaguely able to hear voices around her, but couldn't determine to whom they belonged. When it seemed the darkness would swallow her completely, she felt her body being pulled forward and something soft pressing against her lips. It took a moment or two to register what was happening, but once her vision returned to her, she stared in shock at the red cloth that covered Raphael's face. She was being kissed. _She was being kissed?!_

The raven haired girl gasped lightly before she pushed against his chest and separated from him. Her cheeks were flushed and her heart pounded as she stared at the hot tempered turtle. Raphael seemed unable to speak for a moment as he simply stared back at her, a blank expression on his face. Even if he had announced that it was only to help her, he couldn't deny that his heart was skipping frantically over what he did. He had held her many times and he knew how delicate she was, but her lips were soft and it caught him off guard how much he liked it.

"Duuuuuude..." Michelangelo started; breaking the stunned silence after a moment or two.

Evelyn was shaken mentally when she heard his voice and was suddenly aware that everyone was standing around them and staring. She blushed even further when she looked up to see Leonardo looking down at her in silence. All at once, the mix of emotion that churned in her stomach started to complicate her thoughts. She made an embarrassed little groan before she scrambled to her feet and rushed off into the tunnels without a word.

"Eve!" Raphael shouted as he shot up and quickly began to run after her. He was embarrassed as well, but his main concern right now was that Evelyn wasn't upset with him and that she wasn't running into danger.

Leaving the rest of them to stand there in surprise, Donatello found himself glancing at April every now and then. Leonardo wasn't sure what to make of all this. In any case, it complicated things. He knew that Raph liked Eve, but it was already affecting their teamwork. What were they in for now?

Evelyn was running through the tunnels with no particular goal in mind. She wasn't even sure why she was running away. It wasn't like she was scared of Raphael or anything. She just couldn't process everything that was happening today. First she scares Mikey, then a voice in the darkness tears her up from inside, and now, Raphael kissed her. Why?! Everything just seemed to be thrown at her all at once and this seemed to be the easiest problem to deal with.

"Evelyn!" Raphael shouted as he ran to catch up to her.

She gasped and looked over her shoulder to see him coming up fast, "Why are you chasing me?!" she asked in a panic.

"Because you're running away!" He shouted back simply.

"Don't follow me!" she demanded; her voice echoing in the tunnels as she tried to pick up the pace.

"Yeah, right!" Raph replied as he closed the gap between them and did a quick flip in the air to land in front of her. Forcing Evelyn to stop now, she almost fell backward as she stopped on her heel. Raphael grabbed her arms in order to keep her steady.

Catching her before the fall, he kept her arms in his hands gently as he stared evenly at her face. The two were silent for a while, unsure what to say. Eve kept her gaze on the floor so she wouldn't meet his eyes. What was she supposed to say? After everything that happened today, she wasn't exactly ready to deal with any of it. Not to mention the fact that he kissed her after their argument. Even now, he was holding her arms so carefully and she knew he was staring right at her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"I had to shock you. I couldn't think of anything else," he started, visibly nervous.

This response was probably the last thing she wanted to hear right now. _To shock her? He kissed her, to shock her?!_ Turning to look at him now, her expression was not encouraging. Once again, he was forced to see her angry and upset.

"...that was all you could think of...?" she repeated quietly.

Raphael found his gaze drifting down to her lips as he looked at her face. He shook his head, trying to shake the blush from his cheeks.  
"Y-yeah. Sorry." he stumbled on his words now, feeling his heart pounding. He was a mutant. For all appearances, Eve was human. She was a beautiful human girl. Even if she seemed to have a crush on Leonardo, that didn't guarantee that she might ever choose a Mutant. Not that he hoped at all. He wasn't going to let himself. He was not going to even try. Raphael was always telling Donnie that it could never work. He needed to remember that, but it was difficult when he was close to her like this.

"...If that's...all it was..." she started, feeling tears gripping at her eyes as she stared up at him with a stern gaze, "...if it really was. ...just for shock value...then I just...can't forgive you so easily."

Raphael felt a strange wrench in his chest when she said that, but instead of releasing her arms, his grip became firm and he pulled her into an embrace.

"Raphael?!" she exclaimed in surprise and confusion. Did he really think this would fix anything? He couldn't just hug her and make it all go away. She flared up a little and opened her mouth to shout, but he squeezed her a little tighter and spoke before she got the chance.

"Your memory loss..." he started softly, keeping his gaze at the floor now, but refusing to loosen his grip on her so she wouldn't see his face, "...Leonardo told you...that Stockmen dropped you...but...he didn't tell you that it was my fault."

She was silent for a while, trying to process what he was telling her. Was he trying to make it all worse? First, he makes her lose her memory and now he was refusing to tell her what he knew? Not to mention stealing what she believed to be her first kiss for shock value.  
"W..why are you telling me this?" Eve asked as she began to struggle in his arms. She was hurt, angry, confused, and all she wanted to do was lash out. That was difficult when he was holding her. She wanted to be upset with him.

"Because from the moment you fell, I couldn't let it go that it was my fault!" he closed his eyes tight as his voice began to rise, "I stayed by your side out of guilt at first, but now..." Raphael's voice trailed off softly, unable to admit it out loud, or even to himself right now, "...now...I just want you to be safe. ...I want you to be happy. I know I keep messing up...but can't you just trust me?"

Evelyn stared over his shoulder, trying to understand all this. He was asking quite a lot. He knew something about her and she needed to know what it was. Losing her memory had made her feel like a broken doll. She was missing pieces and she couldn't feel whole without them. Raphael had some of those pieces, but he was keeping them from her. That was what hurt the most.  
"...I can trust you...if you tell me what you found out," she said finally, "...why don't you want me going into the sun?"

Raphael took a deep breath and released her from his arms to step back and look at her.  
He didn't want to tell her about the torture he suspected, but even if he was careful with his words, she did deserve to know some things. It was her past after all. He explained the picture he found and that someone had written a note saying they kept her away from sunlight, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her anything else. He also chose to omit the part about the woman in black. He still had to be careful. That woman found him on that roof too easily. Just because the stuff he got from her made Eve better, he wasn't about to trust her so easily. Evelyn seemed to take most of it well. The look on her face was more encouraging than before at least.

"...So..." Eve started quietly, slowly starting to process what he told her, "...people were studying me...and said I couldn't be in the sun. ...so...you don't really know what happens. You just found out that it was something they kept me from..." she finished, feeling a little disappointed over not actually finding out much about her identity. Still, it was something and she was happy that he was longer keeping anything from her.

"Yeah. ...So I guess...whatever Mikey saw...might be why they wanted to keep you out of the sun..." Raphael replied, still feeling a little twist in his stomach since he was still omitting a lot of truths.

Evelyn nodded just a little and took a deep breath, "...So...at least that's a start," she said with a smile as she glanced up at him, "thank you...for telling me the truth."

"...yeah." he muttered in response. To Eve, it simply looked as if he were embarrassed, but he was still nervous about keeping all this to himself. He wished she weren't so trusting. It hurt a lot more when she smiled at him.

Evelyn blushed now and turned her back to him, placing her hands behind her back, "And that kiss...was really just for shock value?" she asked again.

Raphael flinched a little and cleared his throat slightly, "Y-yeah. Sorry about that."

Something tightened in Evelyn's chest and she wasn't sure why, but his response hurt a little. His interest in her was purely formed from guilt, she knew that now, so why did she care if the kiss didn't have deeper feelings behind it? She didn't. Raphael was a friend. That was all. _...right?  
_ Evelyn shook her head and tried to gather her thoughts and get back to the matter at hand.  
"Okay. ...We should head back. I'm sure they are all a little worried...and can't wait to poke fun at us." she added before she began to walk back towards the lair. Raphael groaned when he realized that she was right. His brother's were not going to let this slide. Good thing he could pound them all if it lasted longer than a minute or two.

It didn't take them long to return home. When they did arrive, the others had all scattered. Donnie was in his lab with April, Mikey was cooking in the kitchen, and Leonardo was punching the training dummy. The moment Evelyn and Raphael came into the room, Leonardo stopped and held his hand up to greet them. Evelyn met his blue eyes for only a moment before she blushed. Embarrassed and ashamed, she avoided his stare and quickly rushed off to meet Mikey in the kitchen. Leonardo was a little confused and hurt that she wouldn't even look at him, but they had bigger problems. He looked at Raphael now and his expression became serious.

"We still need to have that talk." Leo insisted.

"...Yeah. I think we do." Raphael agreed as he rubbed the back of his head and sighed, turning to head for his room, "come on."

Leonardo followed after him and Evelyn watched from the kitchen as they both disappeared into Raphael's room. Once the door was closed, she whimpered a little and let her forehead fall against the counter surface.  
Mikey was in the middle of tossing pizza dough, as an attempt to keep busy since Leo told them not to run after Evelyn and Raph. He glanced at her and smiled, placing the dough down and pulled a small strand of her ebony hair.

"Soooo...you upset?" he asked cheerfully, trying to lighten her mood a little.

Evelyn sighed and turned her head to rest her cheek on the counter, looking up at Mikey with a worried eyes.  
"...Mikey...you know, you're like a little brother to me, right?"

"Of course! And you're like, my sister." He announced happily.

She smiled at his reply and her expression had a bit more relief to it now, "...Good. ...I'm sorry I scared you."

Mikey's smiled faded just a bit, "I'm just glad your okay. Umm..." he started meekly, "...but do you think I can sleep with you tonight?" he asked finally, glancing at her hopefully.

Evelyn stood up straight and smiled before she wrapped her arms around him, "Of course," she replied, hoping that he might be reassured in her embrace a little. He was the sweetest turtle and pure in so many ways. He couldn't lie well, he found a way to make the bleakest days shine with his optimistic outlook, and his expressions were always honest. She respected all of them and cared for each one with all her heart, but Mikey was the one that she felt protective over. She wanted to keep him from all the darkness that might creep up on them.  
"I'll ask April to pick up some more of those little bagel bite pizza's for us. We can read some comics and have a sleep over."

"Yes!" Mikey exclaimed in triumph, pumping his fist in the air, "I'll pick out the comics!" he finished as he rushed towards his bedroom.

"Nothing scary!" she called out after him. This was for her benefit. Some of his comic books actually gave her nightmares. Apparently she was easily spooked.

As Evelyn and the others enjoyed this small moment of peace, above them in the city, a dark figure lurked in the shadows. The woman in black sat in a dark alleyway, hugging her knees to herself as she sat there in silence. She lifted her head just a little, revealing a single glowing eye from the darkness beneath her hood.

"...What do you mean?" she asked, directed at no one in particular. There was no one around her at all to speak with, none that could bee seen anyway.  
"...so...she no longer has the sphere. ...no matter. ...we'll keep an eye on her...and let that turtle follow the bread crumbs. Perhaps he will accomplish what we have been unable to." she whispered softly and rested her head against her knees, staring at the brick wall to her left. It was silent in the alleyway for a few moments after that, but if one was there to observe and looked carefully, they might see the shadows on the wall shifting slightly. Finally, a rather wild grin laced across the woman's face, her teeth barely visible from the darkness she hid her features in.  
"I agree..." she started, "...it should be really interesting to see how this turns out. ...I wonder...how many tears will be shed. There are only a few days left until the new moon. ...heh...I can't wait..." she finished with a soft and eerie laugh. The shadows that covered her seemed to shift like a small swarm. As if the shadows themselves were laughing along with the woman.

 **A/N: Sorry this was late again. It's been a rough couple of days.  
Hope you all have enjoyed the story so far. I'm thinking of starting a Tumblr specifically for my illustrations and updates on my writing, if anyone is interested in that, let me know. It will help to solidify my decision. Thanks everyone! **


	9. The Fire in Her Mind

**Chapter Nine: The Fire in her Mind**

Back in the lair now, Raphael had sat his brothers down and told them what he told Evelyn. Leonardo was still upset over his insistence on keeping secrets, especially since he asked him not to mention the black substance Leonardo found in his room. Donatello was already thinking of ways that they could run tests without hurting Evelyn. He suggested taking a sample of her blood out into the sun to see how it reacted, or taking her up there with the four of them just in case something happened. They could be on alert now that they knew what to look for.

Michelangelo seemed the most uncomfortable with all this. Evelyn's transformation in the sunlight still haunted him and he was uneasy about seeing her like that again. As his brothers all discussed a safe way to do this, he stared at the floor with a troubled expression. Eve sat beside him now and leaned her head against his shoulder to rest against him.

"Eve?" Mikey started.

Evelyn simply shook her head and smiled, closing her eyes as she relaxed with him.  
"...Don't worry..." she whispered softly,

Michelangelo nodded and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to hug her close. As the other brothers talked, Raphael glanced over at them. He wasn't exactly pleased when anyone was close to Eve, but with Mikey, it didn't bother him as much. He was sure that he only saw Evelyn as a big sister or something. This was Mikey after all.

"So it's decided." Leonardo finished, turning to Donatello, "You'll take Evelyn up to the surface after we have April work with her and see what she can do. Is that okay with you?" Leo asked as he turned to face Eve now.

Mikey didn't seem pleased with any of this, but Evelyn left his arms and stood up to face Leonardo. "...That's alright with me..." she agreed.

"Good. Now, Sensei is waiting for us." Leo said as he turned to head for the dojo to train. The others followed him, but Evelyn didn't move. She stood in the middle of the room, staring down at the floor. What would they find at the end of this? A part of her was afraid to find out. What was worse...the voice that she heard in the tunnels...it terrified her to the core. What could it have been?

"Eve?" Leonardo asked, walking up to her when he noticed she was not following, "You okay?"

She looked up quickly, shaken from her thoughts now, "Oh...uh...I'm not sure actually." she replied honestly.

"...We aren't going to let anything happen to you. April will be able to help, I'm sure."

"It's not that..." she began quietly, "...what if...we find out who I am...and I don't like it? ...in a way...it feels like the me now...will die. Do you know what I mean? ...I like being Evelyn. I like being here with all of you..."

Leonardo stepped forward and placed his hand against her shoulder. Evelyn blushed a little and looked up at him.

"Don't worry. No matter what happens, you will always be Evelyn to us." Leonardo reassured her. He wasn't actually sure what they were going to find either, but he didn't want her to get anxious over it. After all this time together, he cared for her just like the rest of his brothers.

Evelyn stared at him for a moment or two before her expression changed. She seemed conflicted about all this and it was visible on her face. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his shell, hiding her expression against his chest. Leo was a little surprised by this and in truth he wasn't sure what to do. He placed his hands against her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her some. Though he did feel a little nervous in having her so close. It's not as if any of the turtles were very used to human female contact. Raph had come from the dojo in order to see what was taking them so long and when he rounded the corner to see them in an embrace, he felt a strange wrenching in his chest. Leonardo was his brother, but he was still leading Eve around like a puppy. At least, it's what he saw whenever they were together. He huffed and turned back to the Dojo just as Evelyn pulled from Leo and wiped her eyes a little.

"Sorry. ...This is just...a little much to take in I guess." she said quietly.

"Don't worry about it. You're like a sister to us now. That's not going to change." Leonardo replied with a smile as he gestured toward the Dojo and turned to leave.

She was silent for a moment as she watched his back, "...a sister..." she muttered sadly before she began to follow behind him.

Splinter had his sons kneel before one another as he ordered for them to begin. Evelyn knelt at Splinters side as she watched them. She wasn't usually present for the workouts, but Splinter thought it would help in her own training to observe. This would be the first session that she sat in on.

Donatello was a lot faster than she thought and Michelangelo seemed to be showing off for her benefit by making a spectacle of himself. Which of course earned a laugh from Evelyn and a scolding from Splinter. She covered her mouth when Mikey was berated and Splinter glanced at her in disapproval. She was sure that Mikey only wanted to cheer her up. He was always acting the clown to earn a laugh from her. Once Donnie and Mikey were beaten, they sat on each side of Eve and watched as Raph and Leonardo prepared to fight. Evelyn found herself leaning forward and her gaze drifted to Leonardo as he pulled his swords. She was excited to see these two fight, more so, because she had never seen Leonardo use his swords. He was always practicing on the dummy in the main room, but never pulled his katana.

Raphael could see where Eve's attention was focused and it caused his blood to boil for a moment. What was so good about Leo? He glared at his brother just before Splinter allowed them to begin. Each brother didn't miss a beat as they launched at one another. For a moment or two, the fight seemed fairly even and Raphael did his best to focus. He wanted to beat Leonardo and show Evelyn that he wasn't worth all the hero worship, but when he glanced over at her, he could see her eyes on Leonardo. Since he had looked away, it allowed Leonardo to sweep his feet out from beneath him and hold him at the edge of his sword when Raphael landed on his shell.

Everyone looked a little surprised when Raphael went down, even Evelyn. Leonardo sighed as he sheathed his swords.

"You're not paying attention," he said evenly, "why don't you stop looking at your girlfriend and focus." Leonardo teased now.

Raphael and Evelyn seemed to blush simultaneously, "We're not a couple!" they shouted in unison, earning a laugh from the others before Master Splinter held up his hand.

"Sorry, Master Splinter." Leonardo said quietly with a bow of his head. Donnie and Mikey did the same, but Evelyn and Raphael just seemed uncomfortable now. Bitter over his loss and embarrassed that he was now being made fun of, he got to his foot and stomped out of the room.

"Raphael?" Evelyn started as she made to go after him, but Splinter placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She took a small breath and sat herself back down.

"Maybe we should apologize?" Mikey suggested.

"What? You guys never apologize to me when you tease me about April." Donnie replied in annoyance.

"Yeah, but you're not gonna pound me if we make fun of your girlfriend." Mikey joked. Evelyn turned her head and glared at Michelangelo and he laughed nervously.  
"Sorry Eve..." he said quietly.

"I'll go and talk to him." Leonardo said as he walked from the room. Evelyn got to her feet quickly and followed Leo, wanting to try and speak with him alone for a moment. She didn't like his joke. Not because she hated Raph or anything, but because she didn't want Leonardo to think that...

"Um-Leo?" she started as she caught up to him and pat his shoulder lightly. The turtle turned to look at her curiously.

"What is it?" he asked, stopping so the two of them were just short of the main room.

Evelyn blushed a little now and found that looking him in the eye was a little difficult.  
"Ah...well...you know that Raph and I...aren't a couple, right...?" she asked quietly, feeling a little awkward now. What exactly was her plan here? She started to feel a little stupid as she spoke, but it was a little late to back out now.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just messing with you guys." Leonardo said with a smile, reaching over and patting her on the head.

Eve frowned and reached up to take his hand from her hair, but held on as she looked at the floor. "...I wouldn't want you to think that..." she started, gripping his hand a little as she felt her chest tighten. This was harder than she thought it would be. After Leonardo had seen Raphael kiss her, she just wanted to clear things up.  
"Because...because I..." she stammered softly, trying hard to come by the words.

Leonardo was a little worried about where this was going now. Evelyn looked serious now and it wasn't like he was complexly dense. Ever since Raphael had confronted him about Eve, he started to see what he was talking about. She did act differently with him than she did with the others. She was completely at ease with them, but around him she seemed nervous.

"Leonardo...I...I just-" she started, doing her very best to summon a little courage, but her resolve died when she heard Donatello and Mikey coming this way. She panicked and released Leo's hand at once.  
"N-Nevermind!" She insisted as she dashed from him and towards Mikey's room. She ran inside and slammed the door without a second thought.

"...Did...Eve just take my room?" Mikey asked in confusion as he arrived just in time to see the girl lock herself in his bedroom.

Leonardo sighed and rubbed the back of his head with a troubled expression. "...This just got a little more complicated..." he said to no one in particular before he started towards Raph's room again. Donatello just seemed annoyed and muttered something about Leonardo's luck as he wandered off, leaving Mikey alone and confused.

"Okay, seriously?!" Mikey shouted, "No one's gonna tell me what's going on?!"

Master Splinter sighed and shook his head as he watched the teenagers from the Dojo's entrance. "Youth..." he said quietly before he left to meditate.

Once he made it to Raph's room, Leonardo knocked on the door and waited, but there was no answer. He sighed and knocked again, "C'mon Raph, open up!" he insisted, "Don't be a baby!" Leonardo tried again and knocked, but the door swung open as he moved forward and took him off balance. He regained his footing and cleared his throat. "Got a minute?"

Raphael just leered at his brother for a moment before he nodded curtly and opened the door a little wider. Once Leonardo stepped inside and the door was closed, Evelyn peeked out of Mikey's room and sighed in relief.

"...That was dumb..." she muttered to herself. Annoyed that she had gone up to Leonardo without a plan on what to say and almost spilled everything at the worst possible time. It was clear that Leonardo only saw her as a sister or friend, yet she couldn't help but wish for a little something more. Perhaps it was strange to feel this way about a mutated turtle, but this was the world that she knew. It was all she knew. The only other humans she had met were April and Casey. She wasn't attracted to April and _very_ much not attracted to Casey. She found him rude and abrasive. When he and Raphael would get together, it was a little hard to be around the scarlet masked turtle. Still, she loved it here and she loved everyone here very much. Even if Leonardo was just a little more so to her, she didn't want to lose any of them.

 _"You don't have to lose them."_ A woman's voice rang out clearly to Evelyn, but when she looked around, she didn't see anyone there.

"...Wh-"

 _"I know who you are,"_ the woman's voice came again before Eve could speak.

"Where are you?" Evelyn asked aloud, looking up at the ceiling as she searched for the source of the voice. She could hear the voice so clearly that the woman had to be in the room with her.

"Where's who?" April asked as she walked into the main room, having just come from home.

Evelyn turned to April and stared for a moment. Did she not hear that voice? It was so clear. "Ah...no one. I was...I was looking for you actually." Evelyn lied quickly, feeling a bit uneasy discussing voices that she was beginning to hear.

"Me? What for?" April asked with a smile as she held up a paper bag, "Oh, I brought you something. I thought you might be yearning for a change of clothes by now."

"Thanks, April. I was just-" as Evelyn spoke with April, the redheads face changed. Her eyes became empty and blood seemed to drip from them. Eve froze where she stood and her expression shifted to that of horror.

"Evelyn? You okay?" April asked in concern as she reached for the girl.

Unfortunately, Eve could not hear April's voice. To her, the now grim looking April was speaking in tongues, words that she couldn't understand. The sight terrified her and she pushed April away, running towards Raphael's room for safety, but the scenery around her began to change. Everything was suddenly engulfed in flames and she saw black figures burning around her. They seemed to be men, but she could judge that based on their shape and their screams.

"Stay away!" Evelyn screamed in a panic as the men seemed to be reaching for her. One had a crazed grin on his face as he grabbed her leg and another wrapped his arms around her from behind to hold her there. "ST-STOP! PLEASE!" she screamed again, struggling to break free as the fire began to singe her skin.

 _"come with us..."_ a black figure spoke as his face was being broiled by the fire.

Evelyn watched this in terror. The mans voice was familiar and struck a cord inside the girl. Not a good one. It only served to intensify the feeling of dread that was building up. Another man appeared from the fire and limped towards her, holding a knife in his hand. The other men were holding her so tight that all her struggling was pointless as the other man came closer to her. She wanted to scream, but all she could manage were mute gasps while the smoke from the fire filled her lungs. To Evelyn she was about to be murdered for all she knew. She didn't understand who these men were or where the others were, but she needed to get away. She had to get out of here.

However, as Evelyn struggled to get free from the men engulfed in flames, the Turtles struggled to keep her calm. They had heard her screams and all rushed to help her, but she couldn't seem to hear or see them. Raphael was pinning her arms to her side by holding her from behind. Leonardo was trying to get her attention by placing his hands on her shoulders and forcing her to look at him. Donatello was trying to keep her from kicking them by holding her legs and Mikey was simply watching in stunned silence as his brothers tried to subdue Evelyn. The raven haired beauty was proving to be a difficult task for the turtles. She was stronger than any of them had anticipated and her crying and screaming wasn't making it easier. Donatello saw Evelyn's skin begin to scar with marks that looked like they would come from burns. These burns seemed to be originating where they were holding her.

"Guys! Something's burning her!" Donnie shouted in a panic. Raph and Leo exchanged desperate looks and tried to hold Eve a little tighter.

"Evelyn! Wake up! It's us!" Leonardo tried desperately as he attempted to meet her eyes as his brothers tried to hold her steady.

"LET ME GO! RAPHAEL, HELP! PLEASE!" She screamed in pure terror, unaware that the turtles were the ones trying to hold her down. She couldn't see them, she couldn't hear them. All she could feel was the pain and burn of the fire around her. All she could see were the charred and disfigured men that were trying to keep her inside the flames. In her panic and terror, she called for Raphael. Despite her feelings for Leonardo, Raphael was always saving her and always keep her safe.

Raphael heard her scream for his help and all at once, his chest seemed to tighten. She was terrified and in pain and she was calling for him. She was pleading for his help. He wanted to answer her. He wanted to save her, but he had no idea what was going on or what he was saving her from. Herself? She was clearly seeing and feeling something that wasn't there. What could he do about that?

"April! C'mere!" Raphael shouted, gesturing with a tilt of his head for the redhead to rush over. April scrambled over towards the struggle and frantically looked at the mess.  
"Can you get me into her head?" Raph asked as he tightened his grip on Eve.

"I-I don't know!" April answered in a panic, "I-I've never-"

"TRY!" Raphael shouted.

April flinched and quickly placed her hand on Raphael's head and Eve's trying to concentrate and connect their minds. She had no idea what she was doing. Her mental training was slow going at best and though she had entered the Turtles minds once, they weren't in a panicked state like this and she wasn't trying to bring someone with her. All she could do was try her best to focus and concentrate with all her might on the thought of connecting them.

Evelyn was still desperately trying to escape until her body seized for a moment before going completely limp. It wasn't just her either, Raphael's body also ceased all movement. He fell backward onto the floor, while Leonardo was able to grab hold of Eve. April situation was much the same, although Donatello managed to slide over in time to catch his princess.

"APRIL!" Donnie shouted in concern as he held her close.

"...I think she did it." Leonardo said quietly as he laid Eve down on the floor gently beside Raphael, "I think she connected to their minds..."

"But are they okay?!" Mikey asked in a panic as he looked down at his brother and his friends on the floor.

Donatello held April and embraced her gently before he looked at his brother and Evelyn. He didn't want any of them to be hurt. "...Bring them to the lab. ...I can monitor their vitals while we think of something..." he said as he stood up and carried April with him.

Leonardo grabbed Raphael and lifted him into his back, piggybacking his brother as best he could towards the lab. Mikey was hesitant as he reached down to scoop up Eve. He just stared at her face for a moment, feeling his eyes begin to burn. It was as if she were falling apart before his eyes and he was helpless to put her back together. She had burns on her body and the face that he always made sure was smiling, was now emotionless and still in her unconscious state.

"Mikey! Hurry up!" Leonardo insisted as he neared the lab, trying to get Raph there quickly so they could make sure everyone was okay.

Michelangelo flinched a little and swallowed hard before he finally Evelyn in his arms. The freckled turtle's face became pained as he fought back a few tears, gently hugging the girl close to him. "You're gonna be okay, Eve. ...please be okay..." he whispered before leaning in and kissing her cheek softly before he began to rush her towards the lab.  
This was just all too much for him. It wasn't too long ago that he had dragged her to the surface and witnessed her transform to something that could never be Evelyn. He could still see her smile and hear her laugh. All he ever wanted was to make her laugh and smile. Now...she was unconscious after screaming and trying to get away from them. He just wanted to hear her laugh again, but those screams sounded so horrified and sad, he worried he would never hear her laugh again.

 **A/N: I am so sorry that this update was so late. My sister is getting married soon and I am a bridesmaid. So I've been a little busy with her demands and dealing with the family drama that follows. I was an entire city away and now I am back in the thick of the family trouble. This wedding needs to happen before I lose my mind.  
Anyway! Thank you for your patience and I will work on getting the next chapter in much sooner than the last few. **


	10. A Fragmented Mind

**Chapter Ten: A Fragmented Mind**

Donatello had hooked Evelyn, Raphael, and April up to a monitor in his lab. He wanted to keep tabs on all their vitals while they were unconscious. In a desperate attempt to try and help Evelyn, April took a risk and tried to connect Rahpael's mind with Eve's and now they were all laying unconscious in Donatello's lab. Mikey was sitting between Raphael and Evelyn, and Donatello was holding Aprils hand while he checked the monitors.

"What do we do?" Mikey asked, looking between his brother and Eve.

"We wait," Donatello replied evenly, "and we trust that April can get them all out again. ...their vitals are all stable...so for now, they aren't in any danger."

"...I just wish we knew what Raph was trying to do." said Leonardo as he sat himself down next to Mikey.

While his brothers watched over him and the girls, Raphael was waking up in the dark. He opened his eyes to see nothing but black. His head was pounding against his skull, but for the most part, he was in one piece.

"April? Evelyn?!" he called out into the darkness, but there was no reply, "...shit. ...Did it work?" As he thought aloud, a small spotlight illuminated a door. Since it was the only light in the dark, Raphael rushed towards it without thinking. Still, when he reached it, he didn't open the door. Was he in Eve's mind? His own? Aprils? there was no way to tell. "...Here goes..." he muttered as he turned the knob and opened the door.

Once he stepped through the door, he saw nothing, everything was black once again. What was this? A trick? He stood in the darkness for a little while before he began to hear something. It was Eve. She was crying. He wanted to find her, but the noise wasn't in any particular direction. Was this a memory?

"Evelyn!" He shouted, "It's Raphael! I'm here to help you!"

There was no answer, but the door he came through shut itself tight and the room lit up. Evelyn was looking at herself in a mirror, but her bright sapphire eyes were lifeless. She was dressed in a black gown that reached her knees and a man stood behind her, tying a large red ribbon in her hair.

 _"...There you go. Do you like it?" The man asked._

 _Eve sat in silence as she looked up a little to see the ribbon in the reflection, "...like it...?" she repeated. Her voice was lifeless as well. Dull and flat as if she hadn't slept for days._

 _Raphael couldn't see the mans face in the mirror, he was too tall and if he was only able to see what Eve saw, than this was going to be frustrating._

 _"She is perfect...isn't she?" a woman asked._

 _"Perfect?! This is not what I asked for! She's completely empty!" the man shouted angrily as he moved from behind Eve, supposedly going to talk with the woman. Raph couldn't see either of them since Evelyn was still just staring into the mirror, clearly taking no notice of the two as they were spoke._

 _"You should be glad she is. If I had not wiped all the pieces clean...she would be a screaming nightmare. She might even kill herself and you." the woman replied evenly._

 _"I paid for you to-"_

 _"You paid for me...to put her together and I did just that. You said yourself it looked just like her."_

 _"But she's not the same!"_

 _"That was not in our agreement. You gather the pieces...and I put them together. That was the deal. Anything else...well that will cost a little more." said the woman as she came up behind Eve, placing her hands on the girls shoulders. The woman was cloaked in black, so Raph couldn't make out a face. "...she is a lovely one, isn't she?"_

Raphael didn't have time to question what was going on before the room disappeared and he was once again in the darkness.

 _"Who are you?"_

Raph flinched when he heard a girls voice behind him, it was Evelyn's voice, he was sure of it. The room was so dark however; that he couldn't see a thing.

"Eve? It's me, Raphael! I came to help you! Where are you?" he shouted into the empty space.

 _"...I don't know you. I can't see you."_ Evelyn said softly, her voice was just as lifeless as the Eve in the memory he saw a moment ago. A light turned on in front of Raph and revealed Evelyn, sitting in a fancy wooden chair. She was wearing the same red ribbon from the memory, but she was dressed in an old colonial dress of red and black. That wasn't what caught Raphael's attention though. As Eve lifted her head a little, he noticed at once that her eyes were hollow.

"E-Eve!?" he muttered in horror. Was this really her? Another memory?

 _"I can't see you..."_ she said again.

"What happened to you? Who-?"

 _"I'm not done yet..."_ she replied quietly.

"...you mean your eyes? Is that what they took from you?" Raphael asked as he tried to curb his urge to rush over to her. There was probably no point in it. After all, he was in her head, and this clearly was not the Evelyn that he knew. He needed answers and in Eve's muddled mind, perhaps there was something he could learn about her.

 _"My eyes...?"_ she repeated in a flat tone of voice, _"took...my eyes...?"_

Raphael could tell this was going no where fast.  
"There was a girl with me. Did you se-I mean, hear...anyone?" Ha asked this, hoping to get more out of her than just an echo of his words.

Evelyn was silent for a while, it was only when Raph dared to take a step forward that she spoke again.

 _"...there used to be...so many,"_ she started quietly, _"...just me now. ...but I'm not done yet. ...so he doesn't want me. ...empty now."_

Raphael simply stood there. This was definitely not the Evelyn he knew. "...what's your name?"

Saying nothing, the girl stood from her seat, only to fall over at once and drop to the floor. The ninja turtle rushed over on reflex in an attempt to help her up, but before he could reach her, the body quickly burst into flames and a gut wrenching scream rose into the air with the fire and filled the empty black space. It happened so fast that he was only able to watch once the body burnt to ashes. Staring at the ash left behind, his heart beat rapidly against his chest and he tried to steady his breathing. It was startling to say the least.

"I don't get it, Eve. ...Where are you? Please! I'm here to help you! I want to save you!" He shouted into the darkness once more. At a complete loss for what to do, he was desperate. Suddenly, he could hear a girl crying again and he refused to stand around anymore and wait for something to come at him, he turned on his heel and dashed towards the source. It wasn't long after he started to run that he could see the faint glow of light just ahead. Moving faster, he sprinted into a room that was engulfed in flames. At first, he panicked, but once he realized it didn't burn, he relaxed and looked around. The crying was louder here. This had to be the source. Scanning the room, he finally spotted a young woman sobbing in the corner on her knees with her face in her hands. He was sure that it was Evelyn, but perhaps not the one that he knew. She was wearing that same red ribbon in her hair and she was wearing a simple white dress without sleeves. A dress that was covered in old blood stains. What he find in this memory? So far, none of them were good and with each new painful memory, a new weight tied onto his heart. If this was what she would remember, perhaps she was better off never knowing.

 _"Please...no more. ...it hurts..."_ Eve sobbed quietly, _"...I don't like it..."_

 _"Come now...we are almost done..."_ a man replied in a gentle tone as he walked up behind her, holding a large knife in one hand and some sort of clamp in the other, _"don't you want to make your papa happy?"_

 _"...but it hurts. ...I...don't like it..."_ she sobbed again.

Looking closer at Eve, Raph could see bruises and scars all over her exposed skin. The worst of the bruising as around her ankles and wrists, it almost hurt just to look at her.

 _"I wont ask you again..."_ the man started as a few more men in lab coats brushed past him and grabbed Eve's arms.

 _"NOOOO! PLEASE! LET ME GO! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! DON'T HURT ME!"_ Eve screamed as the men struggled to drag her from the corner.

 _"Shut UP!"_ the man with the knife demanded and stepped forward to push her head hard against the wall.

Raphael couldn't take it anymore. For a while he had been too stunned to move, but this was too much to take. He growled and rushed to pull the men off her, but he soon realized that he could not touch them. His hands shook with anger and it was if he stopped breathing for a while. This was not what he wanted to see. The men around Evelyn didn't have faces in her memory. Their faces were all blacked out, save for the manic grins. Perhaps that was how Eve remembered this. Eve was unconscious now, allowing the men to drag her from the corner and pull her limp body into the dark. Everything was dark after that. It was the end of that memory apparently.

Tears gripped at the edge of Raphael's eyes and with a deep breath, he wiped them away with his arm. He had to keep it together and find the girls. Donnie would never forgive him if he forgot about April in all this mess. He was more determined now than ever to keep Evelyn from remembering any of this. So far, all he had seen was torture. She was much better off with them in the sewers.

 _"Are you okay...?"_

Raphael whipped around with a gasp when he heard Eve's voice behind him. He stared in shock at the girl in front of him now. She was still wearing the ribbon that was now tying back her long raven curls. She had a bandage over her left eye and a large open cut along her right shoulder. This Evelyn was still wearing that white dress, no doubt covered in her own blood, but she was looking at Raphael. This Evelyn was acknowledging him just like the one without any eyes. He wasn't sure if he could touch her or not, but he reached out a shaky hand and gently tapped her collar. Withdrawing his hand quickly once he touched her. He could touch her here? Without another thought, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as the tears formed once again.

"I'm so sorry!" he choked out as he held her, "I want to help you, but I don't know how! Just tell me what to do! Tell me how to help you! Tell me how to get you out of here!"

 _"...you...will save me?"_ she asked softly as she placed her hands on his arms and gently pulled away from his embrace to look at him.

The turtle took her hands in his own and refused to let go as he met her gaze with watery eyes.  
"Yes." he answered simply, "I will save you. Just wait."

Evelyn's right eye began to water and she smiled at Raphael. A sad, pitiful smile; not at all like the bright and happy ones he had come to know.  
 _"...I look forward to it..."_ she replied.

"...can you show me...where to go?" he asked, hoping he was finally getting somewhere.

Eve got quiet and her smile faded as she turned her head to look towards a faint light in the distance. "...the fire has already started..." she said quietly before she shoved the turtle roughly and the room changed once more as he regained his balance. He was surrounded by fire once again, but this time, maybe he was where he needed to be. In the middle of the fire, Evelyn was hugging her knees to her body and hiding her face. There was no red ribbon in her hair and she was wearing the same clothes from this morning. He could see some burns on her legs and arms, but other than that, she was in one piece.

"Evelyn!" Raphael shouted desperately while he ran through the fire to kneel beside her, "I'm here!"

The girl just rocked a little on the floor, shaking her head slowly, _"not real...don't look, not real,"_ she repeated in a cracked voice. He could see her shoulders shaking and that she was frightened. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew that he wasn't very good at that. Slowly; he brought his hands to her shoulders and tried to urge her to look at him.

"Eve. ...It's Raphael. Please...let me help you," he pleaded.

Evelyn stopped shaking and after a moment of silence, she lifted her head a little to look at him. Her eyes widened when she met his gaze, as if she didn't expect to see anyone at all. Without a word, tears spilled from her eyes and she threw her arms around him, holding onto his shell tight. He didn't waste any time in returning her embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist and trying to reassure her that she was safe now.

"Just relax..." he began, "I'll take you home."

 _"Home...?"_ Eve repeated in a shaky voice.

"Yeah..." he replied, pulling away from the embrace just enough to see her face. Raphael smiled at her and wiped the tears from her eyes with his left hand. He didn't know how much of this was real or not, but if he could reach out and touch her, it was enough for him. Evelyn was looking into his eyes and she seemed to understand or at the very least, was comforted by his words.  
"...you called my name..." he started as his gaze shifted to the side as if he were thinking or struggling to piece something together, "you called for me to save you."  
When he looked back at her, she seemed confused by this. Perhaps this piece of her mind didn't remember that. Or perhaps in her panic, she just didn't realize she did it. Still, it made his heart ache when he remembered it. She was in pain, but she called for him. Would this be another memory for her? Was Eve even aware that he was inside her head? Would she be able to remember this right now?

 _"...Raphael...?"_ she began in concern, staring at him with a confused gaze.

There it was again. His name had a special ring to it when she said it. His hand slid from her cheek to rest under her chin. He gently tilted her head up a little and looked at her face a little closer now. He still didn't know much about this girl in front of him and he had told Donnie repeatedly that nothing was going to happen with April. He was a mutant. He knew that, but when she was close like this and she said his name, he couldn't help but hope. It was almost was clear who she cared for and that wasn't him, but he was stubborn and hard headed, so why should he let that stop him?

"...I'm sorry," he began in a soft voice as he brought his face a little closer to her own, "...but I wont let Leo have you..." Raphael whispered just before he pressed his lips against hers now and closing the gap between them. Whether this was real or not, it felt the same as when he kissed her before, except this time, he wasn't about to lie to himself about why he was doing it. It wasn't to save her and it wasn't to shock her, he just wanted to be close to her. Maybe he was being selfish, but he didn't want Leonardo to take her. He wanted to be the only one that knew what this felt like. His hands drifted down to her waist and pulled her a little closer to him, kissing her lips with a little more possession now. He had no idea how she felt as he kissed her, but feeling her soft lips and holding her close sent chills along his back and caused his heart to beat in an excited and steady manner. If they could stay like this, he didn't mind being lost here for a while. After all, she wasn't pulling away from him, in fact, even if it was just a little, he could feel her returning his kiss as her lips brushed against his own. Was this really Eve? Or maybe this was just something he had created. Regardless, he found himself pushing these thoughts from his mind once he felt her kiss him back. His heart skipped a beat and a rush traveled up his back. He leaned in a little more to deepen the kiss, but in that moment, he opened his eyes with a gasp back in Donnies lab.

His brothers turned to look at him with a smile. Mikey hugged his shoulders as Raphael looked around in stunned silence.

"Good to have you back." Leonardo said with a smile as he gestured to the girls beside him who were also trying to regain their composure after waking up.

A wave of relief washed over Raphael when he saw Evelyn sitting up and Michelangelo wrap his arms around her. She looked confused, but she was okay and that was enough for him. As he stared at her, he could still feel her lips on his and he wondered...was that just his own fantasy? Or would Evelyn remember it?

"How are you all feeling?" Donatello asked, holding Aprils hand in concern as he looked at them all.

"...Ugh...my head feels like someone was throwing rocks inside it...but I guess I'm okay." answered April.

"What happened in there?" Leonardo asked.

"I don't know," April started, "I remember trying to link Eve's mind with Raphael's and then...nothing."

"I saw...men in fire. They were trying to pin me down...but that's all." Eve replied, "I woke up here after that..."

A part of Raphael was relieved that she didn't remember, but there was a bigger part of him that was disappointed. Perhaps it was just a part of being a teenager, but it took a lot of restraint not to simply turn to her and kiss her again. Seeing her sitting there, oblivious to what had happened pained him some. Why was he the only one who remembered anything? It was almost like someone was trying to play a mean joke on him.

"What about you Raph?" Leonardo asked now.

Raphael was pulled from his own thoughts and he looked at them all as they waited for an answer. He rubbed the back of his head with a sigh, "ah, it's the same for me. I guess we all just blacked out."

"I'm sorry guys..." said April sadly.

"Don't apologize. You still managed to help Eve from seeing those things and everyone is okay now." Donnie insisted.

April smiled at him and nodded a little, "yeah."

Leonardo stood from his seat and he stretched his arms with a sigh, "Well...it's obvious that we need to do a little more digging. April, if you feel up to it, I think you and Eve need to start trying to get her memory back. We don't want another flip out like earlier."

"Sorry..." Eve said quietly as she looked at her lap. The fire and those men seemed so real. She could still feel the heat of the burns on her body, but no matter how she looked now, the burns were not there.

Leonardo shook his head and he placed his hand on her head, "You have nothing to be sorry for. Don't worry, we are all here for you."

Mikey nodded his head happily and he hugged Eve a little tighter. She smiled slightly as she glanced up at Leonardo, "...Okay. Thanks."

"Well...if we're done here, I'm gonna go get something to eat. I'm suddenly starving." Raphael said as he jumped from the table he was laying on and turned to head for the kitchen. Mikey released Evelyn and turned to follow after Raphael.

"Wait up Raph! I'll cook something up!" Mikey announced in excitement.

Leonardo smiled as he watched his brothers backs. He was just happy everyone was alright. Donnie was helping April down from the table and as they made to leave as well, Leo glanced at Evelyn. The raven haired young woman staring at her own lap with a flushed face and touching her lips with her hand gently. She looked to be in a daze.

"Eve?" Leo started, "you okay?"

Evelyn flinched and pulled her hand from her lips to look at him with a nervous smile. "I-I'm fine. Sorry. I was just thinking."

"Well come on, you should get something to eat too. You're going to need your strength," he replied as he offered her his hand to help her down.

Evelyn placed her hand in his and allowed him to assist her, but she glanced towards the door to get a quick look at Raphael as he walked away. She wasn't sure what April saw, or what Raph remembered, but she could recall most of it. At least, she recalled the kiss. "...yeah. I think I will." she replied softly as Leonardo led her by the hand towards the kitchen.

 **A/N: Well chapter ten is done and as some of you might have noticed, I changed the rating to Mature. This is mostly due to the violence and such that is to come. Get your minds out of the gutter! Anyway, let me know what you thought about this chapter. I wonder if anyone thinks they know what's going down with Eve? hmmmm...**


	11. A Red Ribbon

**Chapter Eleven: A Red Ribbon**

Since their "mind meld," the other day, Master Splinter would meditate with April and Evelyn. This was in hopes it would help them both in spirit and mind when they would attempt and unlock Eve's memories. Each girl was doing well, but Splinter would take extra time with April since what was her psychic ability that they were relying on. Once Splinter excused Eve from the training for the day, she left the Dojo and headed for the main room. Mikey was reading a comic book on the couch while Donnie and Leo played a video game together. It was nice to see some normalcy after the past few days. She looked around the room and noted the missing turtle. Raphael was not there and it seemed he had been avoiding her since they woke up. There was a little relief in that, but she wasn't exactly sure why. Inside her head, she didn't know what Raphael saw, but she could only remember sharing a kiss. Why? If she just imagined it, wouldn't she have been thinking about Leonardo?

Finding that she suddenly couldn't keep still, Evelyn turned for the exit and slipped out of the room without much notice. Mikey showed her around the tunnels many times, so at least she knew where she was going and how to get back. Going off on her own, she placed her hand along the bricked wall of the old tunnels as she took a stroll. A walk to clear her head was a good idea and even if it was night time, she was wary over going outside now. Raphael told her that the people who had her were worried about the sun, but for what reason? She couldn't shake the feeling that it meant she was not human. Was that a bad thing though? The turtles weren't human, and she loved them all. Master Splinter, though once being human himself, was now a giant rat and he seemed to have found peace of mind with his transformation. Besides, she didn't remember much about the surface so it was not as if she was losing anything.

 _"Do you like it?"_ A mans voice echoed in the tunnels and Eve turned around in a quick panic to catch only a glimpse of a faceless figure in a suit before he vanished.

"Wha-?" she exclaimed under her breath as she stared down the empty tunnel. Did she just imagine that? The voice sounded so familiar.

Evelyn turned back around cautiously, looking over her shoulder every so often as she walked a little further down. Were the men engulfed in flames a vision too? A memory of something awful? Whatever it was, it was certainly not pleasant. Evelyn soon arrived at the pocket tunnel that led to many others and decided it was a good place to relax. She liked it here mostly because when she sat beside the water, it was as if she were at the bank of a small pond. Why was all of this so complicated? She just wanted everything to be done and over with and stay here with the Turtles. Or...would she even want to stay after she remembered everything? It was like she had to resign herself to becoming a whole new person. Eve sighed in frustration and chucked a piece of brick into the water.

"What are you doing?" Raphael asked as he appeared from a connecting tunnel. He was surprised to see her out and all alone. Especially after what happened the other day. "You should know better than to walk about on your own. What if something happened?"

For some reason, Raph's concern only aggravated Evelyn more and though she knew it was unfounded, she wanted to argue.  
"Just because I don't remember anything, doesn't mean that I'm stupid. I just needed some air." she replied evenly.

Raphael smiled with a hint of irritation and jumped into the air. He moved quickly in the shadows and before Evelyn could finish getting to her feet, her grabbed her from behind.

"HEY!" she exclaimed.

"It's pretty easy to catch you," he said as he released her and stepped back, " _that's_ why you shouldn't be out on your own. Come on, let's go back to the lair."

"No." said Evelyn at once.

Raphael was trying to be calm, but he could tell that she was trying to push his buttons and that in itself was not helping his mood.  
"...why are you so difficult?" he asked finally as he stepped forward to face her, "you always gott'a make it a battle, but I bet if Leo asked you to follow, you'd go without a fuss."

She blushed and crossed her arms over her chest, "even if that were the case, at least he wouldn't treat me like glass. If it were up to you, I'd be locked in a cage and kept from anything that could hurt me."

"So you're mad because I worry about you?" he asked incredulously.

"I didn't say that. I just don't like being treated like a child." she insisted.

"Oh? Would you rather I treat you like Leo does? Like a little sister?" Raphael asked in response.

That struck a nerve with Evelyn and she opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, Raphael was stepping closer and forcing her to step back against a wall where he placed both of his hands. With his arms on either side of her against the wall, Eve found herself boxed in a bit as the Turtle looked down at her with a stern gaze.

"What are you-" she started as her cheeks flushed a bit.

"-Well that's too bad," he interrupted, "because I can't treat you like a little sister. I don't see you that way."

His voice was even and there was a clear resolution in his emerald eyes as he looked at her. He was done denying it and he was stubborn. He liked Evelyn and he wasn't about to sit around and watch her fall further for Leonardo.

"...Raph...this isn't funny..." Eve replied, clearly nervous, but unable to get away.

"Good. Because I'm not joking," he said simply, "I know how you feel about Leo. I'm not an idiot. ...but he's out of luck, because I am not about to let him have you to himself."

"This is not funny." she said again.

"I'm not joking." he replied quickly. His voice was still even, but his tone was low.

He wasn't taking his eyes from Evelyn and she couldn't help but feel nervous. This was a lot like the vision she had the other day. She was a lot more conscious of him now and having him so close and talking like this probably made her more nervous than she should have been.

"...you were the one that said you kissed me only for shock value and that second kiss wa-" Evelyn flinched and scrambled for words quickly, "-I mean, you can't just-"

"Second kiss?" Raphael repeated without waiting for her to finish. She remembered their kiss? She was just pretending not to remember? "You remember that?"

"No-I mean...I...it was just a illusion anyway...right?" The fact that Raph was asking if she remembered it was troubling to her. Did that mean that it actually happened, that he had kissed her while trying to retrieve her from her own mind? "...it's not important, just forget-mhph?!"

Before Eve could finish speaking, Raphael had leaned in and captured her lips with his own. He was known for his impulsive actions, but she never expected this and her surprised gasp was muffled by his lips. This kiss was different from the others, not as gentle, but more forceful. He took his time to savor it before he pulled away a little, just enough to see her face. Evelyn looked embarrassed, confused, and troubled as she stared at him. Her cheeks were tinted and she was conflicted in whether she should slap him or not.

"You don't have to like me right now..." he started quietly, inching his face closer to her once more as he spoke, "...but I'm serious. I want you to start looking at me. Watching you follow Leo around...it drives me crazy. Do you understand how hard it is for me to keep from losing my mind when you're around?"

"...Raph...I'm sor-"

Raphael placed his hand over her mouth gently and shook his head as he closed his eyes for a moment.  
"I don't need a reply. I know that you don't see me that way now, but I'm stubborn and we both know I'm not one to give up when I want something. I'm not going to apologize for kissing you and I'm not going to apologize for saying this now. Besides, you didn't exactly push me away the last time..." he finished with a smirk.

Evelyn blushed and tensed up a little, annoyed that he was suddenly acting smug about it. She pulled his hand from her mouth to speak.  
"It-it was in my mind, it's not as though I had any real control." she insisted.

This only made Raphael grin a little wider as he leaned in close, their lips only inches from one another.  
"Doesn't that mean that you actually _wanted_ to kiss me?" he asked confidently, "should we keep going?"

"D-don't joke around!" she replied in a hushed voice, suddenly worried that their voices might echo through the tunnels. They weren't too far from the lair after all.

"I told you, I'm not joking." he said again, his voice lowered to a hush as well. He tilted his head a little and kissed her cheek, relishing in how soft her skin was before he planted a kiss on her neck as well.

Eve began to panic when she noticed he was getting a little braver in his actions. Raphael was impulsive, but this was too much right now. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her cheeks burned over all this. He was serious and even if she would never admit it aloud, she didn't hate him kissing her. Still, it was a little much to take at the moment.  
"Raphael st-"

"Eve?!" Mikey's voice rang out through the tunnels.

Evelyn's eyes went wide when she turned her head to see Michelangelo staring at her in shock further down the tunnel ahead of them. Raphael merely lifted his head to glance at Mikey. He had made up his mind to tell her, so he really didn't care who knew at this point. He had spent all of yesterday coming to terms with that.

Eve quickly placed her hands against Raphael's chest and pushed him from her. Not that it jostled him too much. Mikey saw Evelyn's troubled expression and he didn't like it. Glaring at his brother now, he walked over to Eve and placed his hands against her shoulders to pull her a little further from Raphael.

"What were you doing to her?!" he insisted with a low growl.

"Mikey...it's nothing..." Eve insisted quietly, embarrassed enough already. She really didn't want to make too much of this at the moment.

"But-" Mikey began to protest.

"-please." Evelyn pleaded quietly.

Raphael sighed a little, turning to head back to the lair, "I meant what I said, Eve," he started as he walked away, "just think about it."

Evelyn blushed and waited until Raphael was out of sight before she exhaled and dropped to her knees. Everything since he kissed her had felt a little surreal and made her knees weak. Mikey knelt down with her and held her shoulders gently in concern

"Did he bite you?!" he asked in disbelief as he pointed to a mark on her neck.

"What?!" she exclaimed, quickly pulling Mikey's kusarigama from his strap in a panic. She used the blade to check her reflection and saw a clear mark on her skin. This time, she knew exactly how to feel about it. "Th-that JERK!" she shouted.

Raphael heard her voice echo through the tunnel and he grinned to himself, placing his hands behind his head as he chuckled under his breath. Kissing her was nice, but teasing her like this was fun too.

Mikey was a little confused. It wasn't clear what Raphael was doing from where he stood when he spotted them, but he had this annoying pit in his stomach over it. He helped Eve back to her feet with a clear pout on his face.

"...Mikey?" Evelyn started when she noticed his discontented expression.

He didn't say anything and kept his gaze on the mark Raphael had made. it irked him and he just wanted it to go away. Without a word, he pulled a band-aid from his strap and quickly stuck it over the offending blemish, determined that it not be seen.

"Huh? Mikey, did you just-" Eve started as she placed her hand over the bandage. He slapped it on there rather roughly, so it alarmed her a little more than it should have.

"I don't like it." he said finally, "you shouldn't let him bite you."

Eve wasn't sure if he knew what he was saying or if he truly believed it was a bite, but she didn't like to see him so dejected and upset. It seemed a little unlikely that he would be jealous, but it was clear that he was not pleased either way. In the time she had spent with Michelangelo, she had started to notice that he was getting a little possessive of her. Almost like a little brother that didn't want his sister to give special treatment to anyone but him. She thought for a second before lifting her arm up and holding out her wrist. "...here," she began, "you can bite me."

Mikey stared at her in silence before he took her hand and brought her wrist a little closer to his face. Glancing at her face, her expression was sturdy and there was no doubt in her eyes.  
"You sure?" he asked quietly.

She smiled and nodded her head, "Raphael caught me off guard, but I'm giving you permission." Mikey may not have understood exactly what he saw, but she wanted to reassure him that he was special to her. Perhaps she was spoiling him, but throughout this whole ordeal, he always made it possible for her to forget all her troubles. Even now, she was able to focus on making him happy and not worrying about what to say to Raphael later on.

"Okay, but you too," he added with a smile, bringing his hand up to her face, "then it will be like we match. Like a secret pact!" he finished with a bit more excitement. Eve laughed lightly and took his hand to hold his wrist. Everything was a game to Mikey and that's how she hoped it would stay. No matter how things changed with Raph or Leo, she wanted to remain Mikey's adopted big sister.

"Together than." she replied with a smile, "One, two, three!"

Once she counted to three, they both bit down gently. Eve flinched a little, since it hurt a little more than she anticipated, but when they each pulled back and saw the small marks on their wrists, she laughed. It seemed so silly. How did Mikey have this ability to ease all her worries with such simple and ridiculous actions such as these?

"Now we match! Like a secret club, or-"

"Brother and sister." Evelyn finished for him, rubbing her wrist a little as she smiled.

Michelangelo smiled a little wider in return and he nodded his head, taking her hand again to examine the mark that he made. It didn't look much like Raphael's, but he took that to mean that he had done better. Still, even if he couldn't see exactly what Eve and Raphael were doing, the image still caused some irritation. He didn't want Eve to be sad and what's more, he felt a sense of pride in being special to her. He really didn't want to give that up.  
"Yeah..." he replied happily, "brother and sister, but just for me!" he added at the end. In so many ways, he really was like a child that didn't want to share his new toy. He was usually very generous with his brother's and although he didn't mind if they all cared for Evelyn, he just didn't want to share that bond he had formed with her.

Eve laughed lightly, "don't worry. We have a bite pact."

She began to walk back towards the lair now as Mikey was listing off the names they could call their secret little club. Eve was just happy that he didn't connect the dots. If he had actually seen Raphael kiss her, it would have been much worse. Mikey may have been a little unfocused, but he wasn't dumb. He knew what a kiss was. So she was grateful he hadn't witnessed something like that. Since he also had a hard time keeping secrets and she was not at all ready for the others to know.

Once back at the lair's entrance, Mikey rushed inside before her in order to make a special pizza to commemorate the occasion. Eve hung back a little by the turnstiles and glanced over her shoulder. Even as she walked with Mikey, it felt as if something had been following her, but every time she looked, there was nothing there. Perhaps it was all in her head, or the stress of today had gotten to her, but she just felt uneasy.

"...I need more sleep..." she muttered under her breath as she turned back towards the lair.

 _"Do you like it?"_ That same man's voice rang in her ears once again. This time, sending chills down her spine. It was eerily unnerving and made more so when she turned around again to see nothing there. What was happening today? Her eyes fell towards the ground and sitting on the floor was a long red hair ribbon. Evelyn didn't even realize she had moved until she was already kneeling on the floor to pick it up. It was made of silk and looked brand new. Not something you would usually find in the sewers. Holding the ribbon in her hands, she began to feel cold and nervous. In a flash, the ribbon vanished and turning to blood that spilling from her hands to the startling image caused her to stand at once, checking her hands frantically. The ribbon was gone and the blood she thought she saw was gone as well. Why?

 _"Look. It's the same color..."_ The man spoke again, but when Eve turned around this time, he didn't vanish. In fact the entire scenery had changed around her. She was in a garden now and the man in the suit was adjusting a ribbon in a girls hair. They were standing by a large koi pond in the dead of night. The moon reflected brightly in the water and the girl had her head down slightly as if she were transfixed by its reflective surface. Eve couldn't see their faces because their backs were to her, but it didn't look like a frightening vision. So why did she feel so uneasy?

 _"It's the same color. Would you like a dress that color too?"_ The man asked cheerfully.

Evelyn stepped closer and tried to see the mans face, but it was blacked out, save for his off putting grin. The girl was just the same. A blacked out face, except that she wore no smile. Once she was beside them though, Evelyn spotted a pool of blood trailing to their feet. Eve quickly shuffled back a little to get away from it. When she did, she was able to see the mangled body of a young woman right beside the pond and near enough to the faceless pair to make their calm demeanor even more disturbing. The woman's neck was twisted and her chest looked as though it had been ripped open by separating her rib cage. Her mouth was opened as if forcefully pulled to dislodge her jaw from her skull, revealing that her tongue was cut from it. The woman's eyes were hollowed out as well, which only made it look as though she were staring straight at Eve in her twisted state. Evelyn fell to her knees and hunched over. Her heart was pounding and felt something rise in her throat as her stomach turned. She had never seen a dead body before, but even she knew that this was over the top. The woman's empty eyes seemed to accuse Evelyn and she could barely breathe as she stared in horror. Finally, she was able to rip her eyes from the bloody mess as she leaned and heaved onto the grass. She felt completely sick.

 _"I'll make sure to get you a crimson dress next time."_ The man spoke again, catching Eve's attention from the ground as she wiped her mouth. She felt dizzy and sick to her stomach, did those people not see the woman on the ground? She looked up at the man and young woman to try and understand what was going on, while doing her best not to look at the body anymore.  
 _"Stay here. I'll go and get someone to clean up this mess."_ he instructed before he turned and walked away from the girl.

 _"Papa...said these were mine...but they aren't mine..."_ the girl spoke in a flat tone, emotionless and still. Her voice was just as familiar as the faceless man, but Evelyn couldn't place either of them. While she tried to search any memory she might have about them, the girl held her arm straight out over the pond and opened her hand to reveal the hollowed out eye balls of that woman, (as far as Eve could assume) she watched in confused disgust as the girl dropped the eyes into the pond and let her extended arm fall back to her side.  
" _Who are you?"_ the girl asked now, turning only her head towards Eve. The girl still had no face and though Evelyn didn't know why, a part of her was grateful for it.

"Uh..." Eve started in a panic, not sure if the girl could actually see her or not. She stood up and backed away cautiously, careful not to take her eyes from the young girl. She couldn't have been much younger than Eve judging by her height.

 _"Did you come to play with me? ...papa said...I could play..."_

The girls voice was so hollow and dead that just listening to her made Eve feel even sicker. She backed up a little faster now and the girl seemed unfazed by Evelyn's leaving. She merely turned her head back to look down at the water again. Eve took this as her chance to get out and she turned on her heel to run as fast as she could to leave. Suddenly, she felt something grab her ankle and she caught herself on her hands before she stumbled to the ground. She looked back quickly, thinking the girl had caught up to her, but to her horror, that was not the case. The mangled woman was holding her ankle with the one arm that didn't seem to be twisted around her body.

 **" _Give it back!"_** the woman shouted, her voice screeching into Eve's ears and causing her nothing but pain.

"I-I don't know what you want! Let me GO!" Evelyn demanded as she tried to kick the woman's hand from her leg in a panic. She didn't even question how the woman could move, let along talk with her tongue cut out. She just wanted this to end. Whatever she was seeing, she didn't want this. "Please!" she pleaded desperately.

"EVE!" Leonardo's voice rang out over the garden and once Eve looked up, she saw Leo kneeling beside her. The garden and the woman were gone, but Evelyn's heart was still pounding rapidly in her chest. She didn't give herself time to calm down before she tried to explain what just happened.

"Th-there was a-I saw-" she stuttered in a frenzy, unable to make sense of anything that just happened.

"Hey, hey...it's okay." Leo said quietly, pulling her in as he wrapped his arms around her, "just breathe..." he instructed. He could see that she was covered in a cold sweat and she looked pale and frightened.

Eve nodded and tried to steady her breathing. She still felt sick and all she wanted to do was forget the image of that twisted woman. It was horrifying and what made it worse was how the man and woman seemed to ignore it completely.  
"...I'm scared..." she admitted in a shaky voice. The reality of what she saw finally started to kick in a little, "I don't want to remember! I don't want to remember anything!" she shouted now as she broke down into tears. No matter what all that was, if any of her memories were like that, she was certain she was better off without them.

 **A/N: So it begins. Once again, I changed the rating to M for the graphic stuff that is on it's way. If you couldn't tell, it's about to get worse. All the pieces are slowly coming together to reveal Evelyn's past and so far, it doesn't look good. What do you think?**

 **Also, I got a few e-mails asking me if Raphael was my favorite turtle since the story kinda revolved around him, but actually, Leonardo has always been my favorite since I was little and now Donatello is right there with him on my favorites list. So look forward to a little Apritello Fan fiction later on. lol  
And yes, I do support Kairai and Leo! They may not be my OTP, but goodness how I ship them. :D**

 **Holy crap! I finally proof read this and found SOOO many mistakes. That's what I get for posting it so late at night. lol  
** **Anyway, it's all fixed now. Enjoy.**


	12. The Shadows that linger

**Chapter Twelve: The Shadows that linger**

Leonardo was staring at the entrance to the Dojo, waiting patiently outside while Evelyn spoke with Master Splinter. She hardly came out of her room anymore and she refused to see anyone. After Leo had found her on the floor in a state of fear, he helped her back to her room, but she had since then, shut them all out. Why was she suddenly so frightened? He supposed it was a good thing that she was at least speaking to Splinter, but she was leaving all the Turtles in the dark and Sensei wasn't about to divulge anything so long as Evelyn didn't want him to. The last piece of news that any of them had gotten from her was relayed by their Master and that message was, that she had given up on her memories and didn't want to see anyone right now.

"They're still talking?" Raphael asked as he approached the Dojo to stand next to Leonardo.

"Yeah. Longer this time..." replied Leonardo, not taking his eyes from the door.

"So why are you waiting out here?" asked Raphael.

"I asked Sensei to tell her I wanted to see her." he replied simply.

"Why do you _need_ to see her? She doesn't want to see _anyone._ I know you think you're special, but-"

"-I want to try and convince her to keep trying." Leonardo interrupted.

"Why?! Who cares if she remembers anything?! She's _Evelyn_! That's good enough. And who knows, she's probably better off." Raphael insisted.

"You can't know that and neither can she. Not until she remembers."

"No. _You_ don't know! I told you that I saw! I told you all about that stupid letter! What makes you think that she needs to remember any of that?! That she would be happier like that?!" Rahael shouted now, turning to glare at his brother, "All you care about is information! You don't give a shit about her feelings!"

"That is not true and you know it!" Leonardo replied hotly, turning towards his brother as well. Each brother had been on edge since Evelyn locked herself away from them all. Leonardo wanted to help her and Raphael was upset that he couldn't see her. He also felt a little responsible for her seclusion. He worried his being pushy had something to do with it.

"So why does it matter than?" started Raphael, "Why does she _need_ to remember?! What good will it do?!"

"Because you can't just shelter her from everything! Evelyn had a life before she met us and she might have other people that care about her! Not all memories are good, Raph! You have to take the good ones with the bad! That's what makes you who you are! Evelyn can't just run away, no matter how you might want her to! What if she has a family? A boyfriend? She has no idea what she might be missing!" shouted Leonardo. He cared about Evelyn too, but he didn't want her to hide from the truth just because it might not be pleasant. He was sure that Master Splinter must be telling her the same thing.  
After all, each one of them had bad and good memories. Leonardo certainly did, but he knew that he wouldn't choose to forget just to get rid of the bad ones. He didn't want Evelyn to give up when she really didn't know what she was giving up at all.

The doors to the Dojo slid open quickly while the turtles argued. Each one flinched and turned to see a stern look on their master's face while he looked down on them.

"I have never heard Ninja's make so much noise." he said evenly, leaving the dojo and shutting the doors behind him.

"Sorry Master..." they replied in unison.

"Master...did Evelyn...?" Leonardo started quietly.

"She will not see you. I am sorry. ...The wounds in her heart are deep, it will take some time. We must have patience for our new friend." Splinter replied.

As Splinter shooed the boys away, Evelyn sat against the doors, watching the shadows of the turtles leave the entrance way. She was pale and dark circles had formed along her eyes. The girl had not slept properly in days. The image of that mangled woman haunted her and since she had that vision, nightmares plagued her dreams. She clearly heard the boys arguing about her through the doors, but she simply couldn't bring herself to see them. After what she saw, her heart was wrenched in a constant pain. She was properly frightened of her own memories. She was afraid of what lingered in the dark of her mind. Raphael wanted to protect her from that darkness and Leonardo wanted her to face it. Each Turtle had good intentions, but she was a coward. She couldn't decide to do either one.  
She lifted her arm and stared at the fading bite mark that Mikey had made a couple of days ago. Through all this, the one she wanted to see the most was Mikey. If anyone could have made her forget for a moment or two, it was him, but she didn't want any of them to see her like this. Not when she was being such a coward.

In the main room, Leonardo and Raphael walked towards Donnie and Mikey, who were waiting anxiously.

"D-did you see her?" Mikey asked at once.

Leonardo shook her his head without a word and Raphael simply averted his eyes.

"Well...I guess she needs more time?" Donnie suggested, "In the mean time, I could at least run some tests on the samples I have from her blood..."

"There is no point," Raph began irately, "she doesn't want to remember. So don't go snooping around."

"She can't just stay in the sewers forever, Raphael." Leonardo insisted.

"Whatever." replied Raphael as he brushed past his brothers to head for his bedroom.

Leonardo sighed miserably and sat himself down on the couch. Raphael was always defiant of his leadership, but since Evelyn showed up, he seemed to be far more so out of sheer spite. It wasn't as if Leonardo was doing anything to keep Evelyn interested, he even cut back the time that he spent with her. Still, he was her friend and he didn't want to avoid her forever.  
Donnie rubbed the back of his neck and glanced towards the Dojo while Mikey just seemed troubled.

"Well...I'll take a few samples to the surface. You coming, Leo?" Donatello asked.

"It couldn't hurt. C'mon, Mikey. We'll just let Raph sulk." Leo said as he stood up and turned for the exit.

"I'm gonna stay too." replied Mikey, "I wanna make Eve something to eat."

Donatello and Leo exchanged worried looks, but Leonardo nodded his head. Mikey seemed even less focused since Eve locked herself into the room anyhow. It was probably best if he and Donnie went alone.

"Okay. Hey, well pick up some pizza gyoza for her. She really likes those..." Leo replied.

Mikey smiled at his brothers as he watched them leave the lair. He waited until everyone was gone before he went to the kitchen and began to gather a few things to cook up for Evelyn. Even though she refused to see everyone, when he brought her food and left it at her door, it was always gone later. At least she was eating. Still; he worried about her. It took a little while, but he managed to make a small personal pizza for Eve. With jelly beans and sardines. He opened the freezer and greeted ice cream kitty with a smile.

"Hey, you think she'll like this?" Mikey asked his Neapolitan pet. The cat meowed happily and purred as Mikey rubbed under his chin gently. He shut the freezer and made his way to the dojo with the food. Once he reached the doors, he placed her plate on the ground and got to his knees. "...Hey Eve..." he started quietly, "I made pizza for you this time. I hope you like it. I put jelly beans on it. Only the green ones. Cause...I know you like 'em." He waited for a response, but after a few minutes of silence, he took a breath and pressed his hand against the door. "I hope that you are doing okay. ...I miss ya." he said quietly before he pulled back his hand and stood up to leave.

Evelyn sat on the other side of the door and she felt a pain in her chest. What was she supposed to do? There were only two choices for her now. She could continue to work with April, or she could refuse any help. She was no where near making a decision, but she hated to upset Mikey like this. She slid open the door just a little and pulled the food into the room before she shut it once more. Staring at the food he made, she took a small breath and rose to her feet. Eve brushed her hair behind her ears and tried to prepare herself to go outside.  
She didn't have to make a choice right now and she wasn't ready to, but she did want to see Mikey. "...Mikey...?" she started softly as she slid open the door once more. He was no longer there. Evelyn walked out and headed for the main room. She saw Leonardo standing there with his back to her. She supposed now was as good a time as any. Walking up to him slowly, she tried to think about what she might say.

"...what _are_ you?" Leonardo asked quietly without turning around to look at her.

Evelyn stopped at once and took a short inhale. "Wha...what do you mean?" she asked cautiously.

"What _ARE_ you?" He asked again, his voice rising as he turned to face her now. He looked disgusted when he caught her eye and Evelyn averted her gaze at once.

"I-I don't know what you mean..." she started.

"You're not human. You can't even remember what you are. For all I know...you're some kind of monster. You can't stay here with us." Leo growled.

"Leonardo...this...I don't know what I am...but...I wouldn't hurt you. Any of you..." she replied, trying to make sense of what was going on. Where was this coming from?

"You're a monster, Eve! You don't belong here!" Leo shouted, grabbing her collar and pulling her forward.

The sudden force alarmed Evelyn and as she gasped in surprise, Leonardo released his grip and dropped to his knees. She looked down quickly to see that he was holding his head in his hands, closing his eyes tight as he grit his teeth. She didn't understand what was happening, but when she reached down to help, the moment her hands touched his arms, a fire erupted around his body. Evelyn was pushed back just a little. By the fire, or something else, she couldn't be sure. Leonardo was screaming now, kneeling as his body began to broil in the flames.

"LEO!" she screamed, stepping forward to try and help once more, but she was stopped by something. As if an invisible wall had formed in front of her, she was blocked off from the turtle. Se could still hear his screaming and see his body beginning to blister. She tried to run the other way, but something was keeping her there. She couldn't get to him. Evelyn desperately pounded against the force that kept her away, tears began to drip from her face as she pushed at the wall. "STOP! STOP! PLEASE! LEONARDO!" she was screaming at the top of her lungs, almost drowned out by Leo's painful howls.

" -VE! EVE! EVELYN!" Raphaels voice was ringing in her ears now. A quick gasp and Evelyn opened her eyes to see Raphael looking down at her. Her head was in his lap and he was gripping her hand tight. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she panted for breath.

"Wh-what happened?" Eve asked quickly as she tried to catch her breath and calm her mind. Was that another vision? It couldn't have been a memory. Was it something that she did without knowing? She gasped and sat up quickly, "L-Leo!" she shouted in a panic.

Raphael grabbed her shoulders and held her steady. "It's fine! He's up on the surface with Donnie!"

Eve glanced at Raphael and when she could see his eyes, her heart began to calm. Her breathing slowly began to even out and she relaxed her shoulders a bit.  
"...I...I didn't..."

"Just relax," Raphael began, "you were screaming. When I came out to check on you, you were passed out next to the open door." he explained.

Evelyn looked over her shoulder and saw that the plate Mikey had made for her was still outside of the door. Had she blacked out when she went to get the food? All of that was an illusion?

"You called for Leonardo. ...What happened?" Raphael asked.

Eve looked back at him and her mind was scrambled. It felt so real. She had even brought the food into her room. Or at least she thought she did. Her mind flashed to an image of Leonardo engulfed in flames once more and at once she felt the bile rise in her throat. She brought her hand to her mouth and tried to suppress her urge to vomit.

"Evelyn...did you remember something? What did you see?" the turtle tried once more to get an answer from her.

She simply shook her head, keeping the tears at bay as best she could. What she saw couldn't have been a memory. Was it a vision of things to come? Was she going to hurt Leonardo. Was she going to hurt any of them?

"Eve..." Raphael turned her to face him as he spoke, "...you don't have to remember anything. You can stay here with us no matter who you are or what you choose to forget."

She looked at Raphael with watery eyes as he spoke. Her mind still reeling from what she had imagined.

"You can live here forever if you want to. You are Evelyn. You'll always be Evelyn. You can forget everything and stay here with me. ...with all of us." he said softly. Raphael reached over and gently peeled the bandage off that Mikey had placed over his kiss mark. It was still there, yet slightly faded. "I will remind you...over and over. As many times as it takes for you to understand. Your name can change, your memories can change, or you could keep everything the same and none of that would matter to me. " He brushed his thumb gently over the mark and took a small breath, "When we first met...you asked for my help. You asked me to take you away. ...I can still do that for you..."

Evelyn felt the tears drip down along her cheeks and she brought her hand to rest over his as he touched the mark her made. How many times had she sat here crying. How many times did she sit back and rely on the boys to protect her? She felt pathetic. She seemed to always be crying lately.  
"Raphael...you...I don't understand you..." she started quietly, "you don't know anything about me. _I_ don't even know anything about me. ...so why...?"

"I have no idea." he replied at once, "you're stubborn, you cry over nothing, you pick fights with me for no reason, you spoil Mikey and follow Leonardo around like a puppy..."

"H-hey, that's no-" she began angrily, wondering why he was suddenly listing off everything that he didn't like about her.

"-but you're kind," he continued, "when you smile...or when you laugh, all I want to do is hold you. When you're hurt...I would give anything to make it better. ...and when you pick a fight with me...I can't help but want to tease you. I didn't expect to feel this way...and for whatever reason, you chose to fall for Leonardo. I'd be better off not feeling this way...but if I had the option to forget you...I wouldn't take it."

"Raphael..." she began once more, not sure what to say, "would you really take me away? ...anywhere I wanted to go?"

Raph smiled now, "just say when."

Evelyn smiled, laughing gently as she dried her eyes. Here she thought that Mikey was the only one who could make her smile at a time like this, but here she was with a smile on her face. Raphael made it sound as though no matter what, he would accept her. In her vision, Leonardo was disgusted by her because she wasn't human. She had no idea what she was, but just the thought that someone would accept all that she was or what she might have been, it was comforting. Is that what she needed to hear?  
"...I think I will save that favor for another time..." she replied with a smile. The vision still stuck at the back of her mind, but at least now she knew what she wanted to do. If she was going to make any sense of these illusions and put a stop to them, she needed to know who she used to be.

On the surface, Donnie and Leonardo had settled on a rooftop. Being out in the middle of the day was dangerous, but the only clue they had to go on was sunlight. Mikey described what he saw when Evelyn was in the sun, but before they would bring her up here personally, they wanted to run a few tests. Donatello had a small vile of Evelyn's blood in his strap and he pulled it out once they were ready. Or she would be forever haunted.

"What do think?" Donatello started quietly.

"About Eve?" Leonardo replied.

"Yeah. Are you going to talk to her?" Donnie asked, "I mean...you noticed right?"

"Can we not talk about this now?" Leonardo replied in frustration.

"Oh sure. I'm sure it's such a big problem for you. Poor Leo, so many girls like me..." Donatello chided in annoyance while he finished setting up.

Leonardo sighed as he leaned back against the ventilation grate.  
"Yeah, Donnie, _that's_ what I'm worried about..." Leo replied quietly.  
As Donnie pulled out a few samples, Leonardo stared at the floor. He had been avoiding thinking about it for awhile, but he knew that he was going to have to speak with Evelyn soon. But what if they were all wrong? It's not as if Eve had said anything to him and truth be told, none of them knew that much about interacting with human girls. Save for April...and Kairai.  
His chest tightened a little when he thought about Kairai. Since she had been taken by Shredder and brainwashed, he tried not to think about her unless he could think of a way to get her back. Donnie may have envied him for having an admirer, but ** _he_** envied Donatello. At least Donnie could see April and speak with her. At least he didn't have to fight with her. Even when Kairai thought they were enemies before, he could see the good in her eyes.

"Leo! Look at this!" Donatello shouted.

Leonardo was shaken from his thoughts when he heard his brother. He loomed over his brother curiously. Donnie had opened a sample of Evelyn's blood to check it in the sunlight, but the moment he opened the vile, the red blood inside, began to bubble and turn black. The turtles watched as what they thought was blood turn to something as thick as tar. In fact, it was just about as hot as tar. Donnie flinched and dropped the bottle.

"AH!" Leo reached out to grab it, but it shattered on the ground. Donatello was looking at the red mark it left on his hand now, but Leo was staring at the black mess on the ground. The tar-like goo was burning in the sunlight. It was dissolving like acid in the light of the sun.

"Wha-?" Donatello stared at the blood as it vanished. Before it burned completely, it almost sounded like a faint scream lifted with the smoke.

"Donnie...?" Leonardo began, still staring intently at where the blood had been, "...what just happened?"

"I...I don't know. I've tested Eve's blood before and everything looked normal." Donatello replied in awe.

"Yeah, but wasn't that back home? ...not in the sun. What does this mean? ...wait!" Leonardo suddenly remembered the black liquid he found in Raphaels room. The one he was still keeping secret from them. Evelyn's blood turned black in the sunlight and he had used that liquid to heal her. There was no way that was a coincidence.  
"Pack it up, Donnie. We're heading back."

Donatello still had some samples he wanted to look at, but he nodded his head and began to pack his things. This wasn't exactly the time to argue with him. As the Turtles prepared to leave, neither of them noticed the shadows that seemed to be stirring among their own.

Back home, Raphael was inspecting the food that Mikey had brought to Eve. Since Michelangelo saw that Evelyn came out of her room, he didn't leave her side. In fact, he was behaving more like a guard dog than a turtle. It annoyed Raphael, but Evelyn was smiling, so he didn't put up too much of a fuss. She was sitting on the couch with Mikey and the freckled turtle was hugging her close and glaring at Raphael.

"Mikey, you wanna stop look'n at me like that?" Raphael asked with a sigh, "You act like I'm gonna eat her."

"If I look away, you'll bite her again." Mikey growled.

Evelyn blushed a little and shook her head, "Ah, I doubt that..." she said softly, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Raphael glanced at Eve and he smirked, "Well, let's not rule anything out."

"Wh-when are the other's getting back?" Eve asked quickly. She was making sure to stare at her lap, but she could still feel Raphael's eyes on her and her cheeks began to burn.

Mikey felt a small pain in his stomach when Raphael spoke like that to Evelyn. He glared at his brother and pulled her in a little closer to his chest. The raven haired girl was practically smothered by his arms now and Raphael took notice.

"Okay, that's enough." he insisted as he placed his hands on her shoulders and tried to pull her away.

"Let go!" Mikey demanded.

"G-guys! GUYS!" Evelyn shouted as best she could while they tried to pull and tightened their grips on her.

" _You_ let go!" Raphael shouted. He grabbed Eve's arm now to pull a little harder.

"You're hurting her!" Mikey growled, keeping his arms around her tight.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Evelyn shouted angrily now, causing both turtles to release her at once and hold up their hands as they leaned back.

"S-sorry." Mikey said quietly.

Evelyn sighed and smiled at him, "...It's okay. Just...I don't really want to be ripped in half."

"I wasn't gonna let that happen, but Mikey was the one-" Raphael began.

"Nuh-uh! _You_ are the one that started pulling on her! Besides, you said you were gonna bite her again and she didn't give you permission!" Mikey argued.

"M-Mikey! It's-" Eve started in a panic, leaning in a bit to try and whisper to him. Perhaps stop him.

"She gave _**me**_ permission. Not you." said the freckled turtle with a smug grin before he stuck out his tongue at his brother.

"You WHAT?!" Raphael demanded angrily. If it was anything like the 'bite' he gave her, this was not something he was happy to hear.

While the turtles bickered and Evelyn panicked, shadows began to loom towards the lair. They gently rustled in the existing shadows of the things around them. None took notice in the chaos of their argument and the others were rushing back so quickly, they didn't detect the dark that moved inside their shadows either. Something was waiting for them and something was stalking them, but they were too distracted to take heed. They would soon regret this, but for now, things were as calm as they could be...considering the last few days.

 **A/N: Oh my goodness! This Chapter ran failry long, but consider it like a filler episode. I had to cover these small things first. The calm before the storm. :P  
Thank you all for your support in my stress over the wedding. My sister is quite the bridezilla, but I press on.**

 **Also, for Kairai/Leo fans, don't worry, she will be joining us soon. I love her and Leo together, so I'm excited to write it. Once again, it's rather late for me...so I will proof read this in the morning and replace it if I must. Please be patient with me.**  
 **See you all next in the next Chapter!**


	13. The Burning Shadows

**Chapter Thirteen: The Burning Shadows  
**

Donatello and Leonardo arrived back to the lair, only to find their brothers bickering and Eve sitting on the couch with her face in her hands. She was simply annoyed and had stopped trying to get the two to stop.

"What's going on?!" Leonardo demanded as he rushed over to break it up.

Evelyn shot up from the couch quickly when she heard Leo shout and Raphael stopped arguing just in time to see her do it. He rolled his eyes a little and glanced at Leo as he walked over.

"Noth'n." Raphael insisted.

"He said he was going to bite her!" Mikey shouted angrily as he pointed at Evelyn.

Leo and Donnie both looked at Eve at once, with a shocked and bewildered expression.  
"...he what?" Leonardo started. The instant commotion distracting them from what they had rushed back for.

"I'll do more than bite her." Raphael announced, seemingly out of pure spite because Leonardo was there now. He also found it amusing to egg Mikey on a little.

His brother's jaws dropped and Evelyn turned her head to look at Raphael with wide eyes. Mikey just nodded his head since his previous statement had been confirmed.

"So Raph is no longer allowed around, Eve. She needs a-guys?" As Mikey spoke, he noticed that no one was paying attention. Everything had gone quiet and the others were all just staring at Raphael in complete shock.

"How long were we gone?" Leonardo asked as he fixed his gaze on the blemish along her neck.

It was only now that Evelyn remembered that Raphael had removed the band-aid on her skin. She whipped her head around quickly clamped her hands over the kiss mark. To have anyone know about it was embarrassing, but to have Leonardo see it, she was mortified.  
"I-It's not what you think! It's a bite! Just a bite!" She exclaimed in a panic.

"Oh yeah?" Raphael started as he leaned in to look a bit closer at her, "You want a real bite?"

"Kn-KNOCK IT OFF!" Evelyn shouted, mostly just embarrassed. She had a terrible pit in her stomach and every part of her just wanted to crawl in a hole and die, "PLEASE!"

Raphael could see that he was taking this too far. It was fun to tease her, but he didn't want to really make her sad. He sighed and stood straight now.  
"I'm just messing around. ...Just happy to see her out of the room is all. So I thought I'd just have a little fun with her and Mikey. Here..." he started, reaching over and putting the bandage back to cover it.

Leonardo and Donatello weren't exactly convinced, but perhaps it was better to play along.  
"Ah...well there is a limit to your teasing, Raph." Leo replied finally. He smiled at Eve and like he did so many times, he placed his hand on her head affectionately. "I'm happy to see you out of the room too."

Eve glanced up at him and felt her heart ease a little. She smiled back at him and nodded her head slightly. "I'm sorry I worried all of you. I decided...to work with April. I want to remember."

"That's wonderful!" Leo replied.

"But I...I am scared. ...Will you be with me for a few sessions?" she asked him.

Of course Leonardo would like to be there for his friends, but he could see in the corner of his eye that Eve's question had made Raphael bristle. "Uh..."

"...All of you." Evelyn finished as Leonardo took his hand from her head slowly. She looked around at all the turtles now and she smiled at each one. "I'm sorry I pushed you all away. ...you've all been so kind to me. You're all very important to me and it would really help me if...I wasn't alone when-"

"Of course we wouldn't leave you alone." Raphael finished with a grin.

"Yeah! I'll be there to make sure Raph doesn't sneak in." Mikey replied with a quick suspicious glare at his brother.

" And I can try and make something to calm you down during the sessions!" Donatello announced.

Eve felt her eyes water as she looked at the friends that surrounded her. She was afraid that after she locked herself away they would be upset with her, but each one was here, offering to help her and support her. She didn't know what she was going to find at the end of this, but no matter how frightening it might have been, with her friends beside her, she could summon the courage to search through the darkness.

"You're not alone here, Eve. We'll make sure nothing happens to you. And no matter what you remember..." Leonardo said happily as he and his brothers smiled at the girl, "...you'll still be family to us."

Evelyn felt a rush of emotion and with a smile she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Leo's shell. "Thank you!"

The turtles leader smiled, but he was always a little nervous when she hugged him around Raphael. He didn't want to make things worse. Still, he returned her embrace just a bit before he pulled away.  
"Of course. Now...we should all talk. Donatello and I saw something when we went top side to test your blood."

Eve could see that they were jumping right into it. It still made her nervous, but she had made up her mind to see this through. "Okay. ...Let's hear it."

Evelyn and the turtles congregated in the main room and Donatello did his best to explain what happened in the sun light. None of them could feel their own shadows stirring. A shadow that clung to Eve, shifted and began to worm it's way from her. It slithered along the ground, connecting to each shadow along the way to the exit. Not one of them took notice until Splinter entered the room and rushed quickly to strike the shadow with his walking stick.

Everyone turned around quickly, but saw nothing until the shadow he had struck burst into flame with a terrible screech.

"Master!" Leonardo shouted as they all turned to rush towards him.

"It appears...we have a spy in a our midst." Splinter said simply, seemingly unharmed from the flames that shot up.

"A spy?!" The turtles repeated, pulling their weapons at once and looking around.

"The shadows." Splinter replied, using his cane to point at their feet.

"The what?!" Raphael asked in disbelief. They all looked down at the ground in a confused panic. How were they supposed to fight shadows?

Evelyn was surrounded by her friends shells, but she didn't know what to do. She looked around in a frenzy at the floor, trying to determine which was actually a shadow and which was an enemy.

 _"Do you like it?"_

Evelyn heard the mans voice echo in her head once more. She could almost feel herself slipping back into the vision she saw. The one in that moonlit garden.  
"NO!" she shouted, feeling an anger rise with her words. She didn't want to see that man again and though she wasn't particularly angry, the feeling seemed to burn inside of her. As she shouted, the turtles lept up into the air. Their own shadows began to burst into flame. The fires weren't very big, but they still startled them. Raphael had grabbed Evelyn as he jumped up, carrying her over his shoulder and not letting her down until the small flames had flickered out.

"What the hell was-ah!" Raphael began, but was quickly cut off when his hand began to heat up. He looked to the girl draped over his shoulder and could see small flames begin to grip at her skin and her clothing. "EVE!" He shouted, quickly getting back to the ground and placing her down.

"What's wrong?" Leonardo asked as he rushed over to them.

"She's on fire! EVE!" He shouted at her and even though it hurt him, he held her shoulder and tried to shake her. Her body temperature was rising as it was burning his skin and her own. Her eyes were black and she seemed lost to his words as he tried to reach her.

"Not again!" Michelangelo exclaimed in concern, "Wait-Fire?!" He didn't see any fire.

"Dammit, Eve! I'm not doing this again!" Raphael exclaimed, "you are not going to do this to me again!" He leaned in without another word and kissed her lips, cupping her face with his hand as he kept a tight grip on her shoulder. At first, it didn't seem to work, but soon, he could feel that the temperature was beginning to cool down.

Evelyn's anger was slowly beginning to calm. She was not there inside that anger, it was if she saw nothing but darkness and her body was no longer her own. The fire that rose in that anger flickered gently now as she began to finally feel the cool of the lips that were pressed against her own. The black nothing in her eyes finally rushed from her and her sapphire hues returned. "Mm!" A muffled gasp escaped her before she pushed at Raphael's chest and separated him from her. "Raphael! Again?!"

"It's effective." he answered with a simple shrug and a hint of a smile. She looked as though she wanted to shout at him again, but before she was able, the turtle brought his singed hand to her cheek and gazed at her in concern. "...you can't keep worrying me like this..." he said softly.

Eve could hear the crack in Raphael's voice and instead of giving him grief, she brought her hand up to place it over the one he had against her face.  
"...If I knew how to stop it, I would." she replied quietly. Raphael was smug, impulsive, and he always seemed to embarrass her in front of Leonardo for fun, but...he really was always worrying about her. He cared about her. It was hard to simply deny it in times like this.

Donatello cleared his throat and Evelyn quickly realized that she and Raphael sitting on the floor, simply staring at one another. She flinched and pulled away quickly, blushing a bit as she glanced at Donnie.

"S-sorry..." she began.

"Okay...so putting aside the fact that Evelyn just blacked out again. What happened to those shadows and what's with the spontaneous fire?" Leonardo asked his brothers, trying to get a handle on the situation.

" _And_ , who's trying to spy on us?" Donatello continued.

"Nothing but questions." Raphael said as he stood up and offered a hand to Eve.

Evelyn looked at his hand as he offered it to her and she could see the burns. She was not herself when he got them, so she didn't know that it was her that caused them. Still, she gently placed her hand in his and allowed him to lift her up to her feet. Raphael was proud and she was sure he didn't want it mentioned yet, if at all. Accepting his help was a way to thank him.

Master Splinter walked over to them and he looked at Donatello, "I believe we no longer have the luxury to wait. Call April. We need answers."

"Hai, Sensei." Donatello replied with a nod before he pulled out his T-phone.

"Evelyn, prepare your mind. We will begin once April arrives." ordered Splinter.

Eve seemed nervous at first, but she took a small breath and nodded her head with a newly determined gaze. Someone was spying on her friends. Someone wanted to scare her and take her back to who knows where. She was not going to allow that so easily.

"You should go into the dojo to meditate. Clear your mind."

"Yes, Sensei," Evelyn replied, "Raphael can join me...?" she asked.

Splinter knew she wanted company for this and he nodded his head. Mikey looked a little dejected that he wasn't the first one to stay with her, but he placed his hand around the bite she made on his wrist and he felt a little better.

"What should we do, Master?" Leonardo asked.

"While April and Evelyn search her mind, they will be vulnerable. Those shadows may not have been the only thing here. We will protect them." The rat instructed.

"Hai, Sensei." the turtles all replied together.

Once everyone had their orders, they prepared themselves. Evelyn began to walk towards the dojo with Raphael tagging along. Once they were inside, she slid the doors closed. She was supposed to clear her mind after all that? There was no way.

"Show me your hand." She said at once when the doors were closed.

"Huh?" Raphael began, "It's just a burn." He was sure she didn't know it was from her and he wanted to keep it that way.

Evelyn walked over to him and held out her hand, "Please?"

Raphael sighed and showed her his singed palm, "See? It's not that bad. Just a little red."  
He wasn't surprised that Evelyn noticed his burns, but what baffled him in the back of his mind was that none of his brothers or his father seemed to notice when Evelyn practically burst into flames. None seemed concerned with that fact except for him. Had they not seen? Perhaps it happened too fast for them?

"...just one thing after another, huh? ...I guess you all are just used to this chaos by now..." she said quietly as she walked over to a small cabinet where she was keeping some things that April had brought her. She still had bandages in there. Pulling out the wrapping, she walked back over to Raphael knelt down in the sitting position. She pat the spot in front of her and waited.

Raphael sighed in annoyance, but he knelt down as she requested.  
"Well, we've seen a lot of weird things and you tend to attract some strange things." he teased a little.

Evelyn took his hand gently and held his palm up to look at the marks. He was always hurting himself on her behalf.  
"...you should be more careful. Didn't you promise to take me away? You can't do that if you're hurt..."

Raphael smirked and decided that having her worry about him wasn't so bad so long as he could get time like this with her.  
"I've got a hard shell. I'll be fine."

Eve began to gently wrap his hand, trying to be delicate so that she wouldn't hurt him. "...you're stubborn. Even though you know I...about Leo. ...you still insist on treating me like this..."

"Can we not talk about Leonardo right now?" he asked, clearly just wanting to pretend that he wasn't an issue at the moment.

Evelyn silently nodded her head. "One day...I'll have to repay you for all this. You keep getting hurt on my account."

The turtle actually started to get a little embarrassed. He wasn't used to her just complying like this. It was easier to flirt with her when he was teasing her and making her nervous, but now he was feeling a little nervous himself.  
"It's not a big deal." he insisted, looking down at his hand as she finished wrapping it.

Before she pulled her hands away, she brought his hand to her face and kissed his palm softly. Raphael could feel his cheeks heat up a little and he tensed up a little. He really wasn't used to being on the receiving end of this kind of affection from her. Still, even under the wrappings he could feel her lips and caused a chill to run up along his spine. When she lifted her head and glanced up at him, a small blush laced her cheeks.

"...a charm. ...so it heals faster..." she said nervously, explaining her actions away. She wanted to thank him, but she was still a little confused. Perhaps it was all the attention that he had given her, but wanted to give him a little in return. After all, it must have been difficult for him to protect and care for her when she paid so much attention to Leo.

"That's a dangerous charm." he replied. He didn't really feel the heat from the burns anymore. Once she kissed his palm, his heart began to beat a little faster and his focus shifted solely on her eyes.

"It's not supposed to be. Mikey was the one that-"

"You're thinking about Mikey right now?" Raphael interrupted as he leaned in a little.

"You said not to mention Leo, I didn't think Mikey was taboo as well..." she replied quietly, averting her eyes from his gaze, but not attempting to back away.

"I'm not exactly fond of any mention of my brothers when we're alone," he began. Placing his hand under her chin, he brought her face back to look at him.

"So...I'm supposed to only pay attention to you?" Eve asked, trying to lighten the tension she was feeling.

"For a start. Though, we are supposed to clear your mind. I think I can help you with that." He said with a smile.

His face was close to hers now and the tension only seemed to increase. She was certain that she had feelings for Leonardo and she didn't want to lead Raphael on by allowing him to toy with her like this. Though in hindsight, kissing his palm was probably a bad idea now that she thought about it.  
"I can probably handle that on my own..."

Raphael pouted a little, pretending to be upset. "You don't want my help?" he asked, just leaning a little further in and kissing her cheek.

Outside of the Dojo, Leonardo walked up to his father with a concerned expression.  
"Master, ...shouldn't we be finding a new place to set this up? Whatever those shadows were, they found us. They know where we are."

"Yes and if they were able to follow you all undetected, they will do the same if we attempt to move," Splinter replied, "the best we can do is be prepared and hope that Evelyn will find an answer so we can learn a little more about our enemy."

"Yes, Master. ...I just have a bad feeling..." Leonardo said quietly as he looked down at his shadow and tried to figure out how any of this could tie in with Evelyn's past.

Splinter smiled at his son, but he was not as calm as he seemed. He sensed a strange energy from Eve when all the shadows burst into flame. It wasn't anything good. He intended to watch closely from now on.

There was only one shadow that escaped the turtles. This small piece of darkness was slithering through the city quickly until it reached a large mass of dark goop in an abandoned building near the docks. The tar like substance was swirling in a circle on the floor as a cloaked woman stood over it with a smile, her face shadowed by her hood, but her grin was visible.

"Ah...it seems she is getting closer." she whispered.

"So if we know where she is, why haven't you brought her back?!" A man asked angrily as he stomped into the room, dragging a young woman by the hair along behind him. The woman was no longer living. This fact made apparent by the fact that her eyes had been hollowed out and her tongue cut from her open mouth. The man dumped the woman's body down and wiped his hands with a handkerchief that he pulled from his pocket. He was wearing a business suit and unlike the woman, he was not covered in shadow, but he was splattered with blood. His black suit had blood stains, both old and new. The man looked rather professional and regarded the dead body with little concern as he kicked the woman's head a little to turn her face away from him. The man had bright blue eyes that seemed aged and tired and the lines that were forming around them and along his mouth indicated he was aged some. He had black hair that was slicked back neatly, graying a little near the frame of his face.

"Why bother? ...she is not ready yet anyhow..." the woman replied, not looking away from her dark mess.

"You have dragged this out long enough!" the man shouted, "You promised me that she wou-"

"-I gave you everything I promised you. You are the one that hasn't found a way to fix her. But don't worry. The new moon is coming soon and with the help of your new friends...we can finally fix the girl. Especially...since you found such _interesting_ friends." she continued as she pulled a photograph from her sleeve. The photo depicted the Kunoichi, Kairai as she fought against the turtles. "...I think this will really speed things along..." the woman finished, dropping the photo into the black goop that swirled on the floor.

"I hired them because I thought they would do better at protecting her than those bumbling idiots that allowed her to escape before. ...but it seems not even the strange creatures in this city can keep her down." The man replied as he walked over to the woman and held out his hand over the swirling black ooze. He dropped the woman's eyeballs into it, followed by her tongue that still dripped with blood. The two watched them burn and mix in with the dark mess.

"Well...they may have let her escape, but they could still be useful to us. Besides, these turtles are about to do our work _for_ us." The woman said simply, "The new moon is almost here...and once we have her back...we can finish what we started.

 **A/N: Dun, Dun, DUN! So, Kairai will finally make her appearance in the next chapter!  
Thank you all for the reviews and for your patience. My internet was down for a couple days, but now I have it all fixed.**

 **I'm glad to see that you all have taken a nice interest in Evelyn, but I'm also pleased that no one is rooting for her and Leonardo. lol  
Not that I want her to be sad, but you know...  
Leo and Kairai will finally have a special moment in the next chapter. I hope you all will enjoy it. **


	14. Poison of the Heart

**Chapter Fourteen: Poison of the Heart**

April arrived at the lair just a little while after Donnie called her over. He explained most of the situation over the phone, but April was a bit nervous about this. She really didn't feel at all prepared to help Eve retrieve any memories. Perhaps she could talk to Master Splinter about training a little more before they did this. Everyone was gathered in the Dojo now and Evelyn looked just as nervous as she did.

"My friends..." Leatherhead's gruff voice rang through the lair as he stomped his way inside and called out to them.

"Leatherhead!" Mikey exclaimed happily as he rushed over and hugged the giant gators arm.

"It is nice to see you, Michelangelo." Leatherhead greeted with a smile.

"What brings you to our home?" Splinter asked as Mikey led his large friend over to the Dojo.

"Raphael asked us to find a doctor. We found one. The one in the photograph." Leatherhead pulled the photo out and handed it to Splinter. He pointed to a man on the far left.  
"Rockwell discovered his location. We wanted to let Raphael know."

"Who is he?" Leonardo asked as he examined the picture in his fathers hand.

"His name is Dr. Willard. Stanley Willard." Leatherhead replied.

Raphael walked up to them now and stared at the photo. So no Dr. Conners yet. Still, it was a start.

"So...did you speak with him? Did you ask him about Evelyn?" asked Raphael.

Leatherhead shook his head slowly, "we could not. The Doctor is in a mental facility now. None of us are exactly able to go to such a place for information."

"But I can," April announced proudly, "I can go and visit him there and ask some questions."

"I don't know if that's a good idea..." Donatello started, "...after all, it might be dangerous."

"If he's in a facility," April replied, "he'll be in a room with guards, or detained, I'm sure. Anyway, it's worth it to at least check out."

Evelyn was quiet while they all argued over a course of action. Her gaze was fixed on the picture and while she stared, the voices around her seemed to be drown out. She was never shown this picture before.

"I want to go and see him." Evelyn said all of a sudden.

Everyone went quiet and Raphael looked immediately displeased.

"Nope. No way. Out of the question." said the hot tempered turtle simply.

"I'm going." Eve replied defiantly.

"Why do you always have to fight with me? Look, you can't even go out in the sun. So it's not like you and April can just waltz in there and-"

"-I'll take her." Leonardo interrupted.

Evelyn smiled, but Raphael turned to glare at his brother.  
"Did you forget about the whole _SUN_ thing?! And I'm sure a mutant turtle just walking in is gonna go over really well!"

"Which is why we're gonna break in at night." answered Leonardo, "we're ninja's, being sneaky is what we do."

"But not Eve. She barely started basic training. She can't use a weapon at all and not to mention she trips over her own feet." argued Raphael.

"I'm not that clumsy!" insisted Evelyn.

"I'm just saying, it wouldn't be safe for you. So you're not going."

Evelyn frowned and was prepared to argue with Raphael, but perhaps there was a better way to go about this.  
"You're right..." she started quietly. Raphael and everyone else all looked rather shocked that she would simply agree so easily. Especially when arguing with Raphael. Eve glanced up at Raphael's face and she smiled just a little.  
"Leonardo won't be enough to keep me safe...but if _you_ go with us...I'm sure that nothing would happen to me at all."

Raphael was taken aback by her words. She was clearly trying to butter him up, but no matter how much he liked what she was saying, there was no way he was going to simply let her walk all over him.  
"Even if that's true, I still don't think it's a good idea."

Evelyn reached over and took his hand gently.  
"Raphael...please...?" she pleaded, giving him the best puppy dog eyes that she could muster.

The turtle tensed up at once and began to feel uncomfortable. She never asked for anything like this before and he was finding it difficult to keep eye contact. It wasn't fair that she was only this adorable in his eyes. He found that now, saying no to her just felt wrong.  
"...O-only if you promise to listen to everything I say." he said finally.  
Leonardo and Donatello smirked at Raphael and he turned away from them all.  
"Shut up!" he shouted in annoyance.

Evelyn smiled and when Leonardo gave her a silent thumbs up, she felt even better.  
"So...when do we leave?" she asked in excitement.

"You, me, and Raph will leave once April gives us a little intel." Leonardo said with a smile.

April was surprised that she was still going to be used, but she was happy about it.  
"Just tell me what you need." she said confidently.

"Go to the facility and take some pictures of the building. Find out what room Dr. Willard is in and try to find out what kind of security they have there."

Leatherhead held out a small scrap of paper for April, "this is the place. Rockwell wrote down the location."

"Got it." April said happily as she took the information, "I'll call Casey to help. To make sure that we get everything we need."

Donatello's shoulders dropped and he averted his gaze to the floor. Evelyn didn't like when Donnie looked dejected like this. His sad face was almost heartbreaking for her.  
"Ah...it might be better if you just go," Eve started, "Two teens loitering around a place like that...might alarm people."

"...hm. I guess you're right." April agreed as she put her T-phone back in her pocket, "Well, I better hurry then. See you later guys!" she said as she rushed for the exit.

Once April was gone, Donatello wrapped his arms around Eve and rubbed his cheek against hers affectionately. "Thank you!" he said happily.

"You're welcome." she replied, laughing softly over his excitement. It was rather cute.

"Okay, that's enough." Raphael insisted before he pulled his brother off of Eve, "Watch your hands."

" _You're_ one to talk." Evelyn said simply, earning a unified, 'oooooooohhh' from his brothers.

The turtles seemed to forget the shadows from before and everyone felt lighter as they joked around now. Leatherhead watched them all and he turned to Splinter.  
"The girl seems happy here..." he said softly.

Splinter watched as Evelyn laughed, "Yes..." he began, "...but I have a grave feeling...that she will not remain so for much longer." replied Master Splinter.

Just a few hours after April had left to investigate, Leonardo was now supplying for the trip and speaking with Donatello about coming along in case they need to hack into anything. As they spoke to one another, Evelyn rushed into the room with a bright smile.

"Look!" she exclaimed happily as she held out her arms to show off the outfit she had changed into. April bought her the fabric and Splinter helped her to design her own ninja attire some time ago, so she was excited to have a chance to wear it. She had slim black leggings that ran into the black flats to cover her feet. Her top was more traditional, in that it was long sleeved with a long piece of black cloth that wrapped around her neck loosely. This was so that if need be, it could be tied around her nose and mouth for cover. Around her waist was a Kusari Fundo, the chain that she had chosen previously as her preferred weapon. Evelyn had put up her hair in a ponytail, only two small strands of curls framed her face while her hair was tied back.  
"What do you think?" she asked now. Though she didn't mean to, her gaze found Leonardo, since his opinion was the one she wanted the most.

Leo smiled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced at Evelyn. Admittedly, she looked rather cute like that, but he wanted to be careful in saying anything too flattering. He didn't want to lead her on or anything.  
"For making all that yourself, it looks really nice. You look like a real ninja at least, at first glance, no one would guess you have no idea what you're doing." he joked.

Evelyn laughed a little and placed her hands on the chain that wrapped around her hips.  
"Well...if all goes according to plan, I wont have to try and do anything. I'm excited to go out with you all, but I am hoping we wont have to fight."

"We shouldn't, but if we do, you hide. Got it?" Leonardo insisted, "It will be easier on us if we don't have to protect you. So it's better if you find a safe place to hide until it's over."

Eve nodded her head in reply. She felt a little like a burden with those sort of orders, but she didn't want to cause more trouble for them simply because of her foolish pride. If hiding would help, she would do her best to adhere to his instructions.

Raphael turned the corner to head into Donatello's lab and speak to Leonardo, but he didn't expect to see Evelyn there. She was talking with Leonardo and dressed in something he had never seen before. He stopped in his tracks and looked her up and down in a mild shock. He took a small breath to calm himself, noting that it was a bit of turn on for him to see her dressed that way. Especially with a weapon. He tried to compose himself and remove the blush from his cheeks before he walked over to them.

"What's all this?" he asked as casually as he could as he entered the room.

"Ah! It's the outfit that April and Splinter helped me to make. I thought it was best if I dressed for the occasion. Do you like it?" Eve's excitement was clear on her face and Raphael wondered if it was good or bad that she was so eager to go out and fight.

"You look pretty good." Raphael replied, trying to compliment her, but also trying to hide how much he really liked it.

"You should make one for April." Donatello suggested, also trying to be casual about it. He could imagine April wearing something similar and it sent chills along his spine.

"Will do." Evelyn replied happily, "Any word from her?"

"Not yet." replied Leonardo.

"...Well...Master Splinter suggested that I meditate before we leave, so I guess I will use this time to improve my focus. Call me when she gets in touch." Evelyn said as she turned on her heel and rushed from the room.

Leonardo watched her leave for a moment before he turned to Donatello. Seeing that his gap toothed brother was off in a daydream, he sighed and turned to speak with Raphael, but once he looked over, his other brother was gone. Leo sighed and placed his hand over his face.  
"We are just no match for girls..." he muttered.

Evelyn was heading for the Dojo before Raphael came up beside her and took her hand. Eve was a little surprised at first, but less so when she saw that it was Raphael who had stopped her.  
"Will you ever allow me to walk down a hallway without stopping me?" she joked, still in a good mood over the outfit she was able to make. Sewing seemed hard at first, but it came easier to her than most things.

"Probably not," he replied with a smirk as he released her hand, "especially, when you're dressed like that."

Evelyn blushed a little and brushed one of the strands that framed her face behind her ear.  
"...well...at least it suits me." she said quietly, not exactly sure what to say.

"I know you're eager to head out...but I hope you don't plan on trying to impress anyone on this outing..." said Raphael quietly. He glanced down the hall to see if anyone was coming.

"I'm not going in order to impress Leonardo...if that's what you mean. I'm going because...whoever this man is...he knew me. I want to meet him."

Raphael was more worried than she realized. He knew about the torture she endured and he chose to keep that from her and his brothers. There was only a 1 in 4 chance that this was the man that saved her. It could have just as easily been one that hurt her. If that were the case, meeting him was the last thing he wanted for Eve.  
"Just don't expect too much. The guy is crazy, remember? He might just spout nonsense for all we know." He actually hoped that he could pass off anything traumatic as the rantings of a mental patient.

"Still..." she started, "he's the first person we found that might know something about me. Or...me before. I know you're worried..but I promised you I would be careful...and I also know that you won't let anything happen to me." she replied with a smile.

Raphael was about to reply before they each heard Leonardo calling for them. April had finally gotten in touch with them. Evelyn and Raphael rushed back to Donnie's lab where Leonardo briefed them on the conversation he had with April. The mental facility was not that impressive and it wasn't heavily guarded, or at least it was nothing to worry about. A couple security guards and a camera system that they could find a way to get around. Though April was not able to get the doctors room number, she was able to confirm that the facility was not for violent patients. Since she was not family, they couldn't tell her much, but the pictures she provided of the building were a big help and she was able to spot the camera's from outside.

"So..." Donatello began, "if we can cut off the power for the security systems, you should be fine to roam about the halls."

" _After_ putting the guards to sleep." Raphael added.

"Right. So all in all, it seems pretty simple." Leonardo said with a smile.

With the information that April provided and the quick plan that Leonardo laid out for them, the trio left the sewers. Raphael was staying close to Eve, allowing Leo to lead the way. There was a half moon lighting up the sky, but with the lights of city, you couldn't see many stars. Once Raphael helped Evelyn out of the man hole, the turtle brothers stood back to observe her for a moment. When nothing seemed to change about her, they decided it was safe for her to be out in the night. Evelyn was admittedly relieved herself. She was a little worried that she might black out once she was outside. So why couldn't she be out in the sun?

Without wasting too much time, they traveled towards the building they needed to find. So she wouldn't slow them down, she agreed to let Raphael carry her on his back. Even though she wanted to try and climb around on her own, she knew it might hinder them. It didn't take too long for them to reach it, but Leonardo had them stop on the roof of the building across the street to observe for a moment.

"April was right. There are just a few guards patrolling the building." Leonardo said as he watched the hired security circle the grounds.

"So we take them out and cut the feed for the camera's. Easy enough." Raphael replied.

Leonardo nodded, "Once the camera's are cut off, we can find Dr. Willard's room. Let's go."

Raphael scooped Evelyn up once more and they jumped down from the rooftop. Eve may have been carried this whole time, but she wasn't complaining. This was her first night out since she woke up in the sewers and even on piggyback, it was very exciting.  
Raphael placed her down near the gates of the buildings entrance and the turtles went to work. She waited anxiously on her own while they handled the camera's and guards. She was told not peek around the corner just in case a guard spotted her. They didn't want anyone to see her and remember her face. Luckily however, the turtles weren't gone for too long before they came back for Evelyn.

"Too easy for me." Raphael gloated as he held out his hand for Eve.

"It is a simple task compared to what we usually do." Leonardo admitted with a smile.

Evelyn smiled and took Raphael's hand. She allowed him to lead her along as they broke into the building. Leonardo found the control room for the inside camera's and put the guard to sleep. Without Donatello, the brothers argued on how to disable the camera's inside, but Evelyn simply found the power supply for the main console and unplugged it.

"Should I be jealous?" a girls voice echoed into the empty room.

Evelyn was confused, but Leonardo and Raphael knew to whom that voice belonged. Leo pulled out his swords as Raphael put himself in front of Evelyn.

"What are you doing here, Kairai?" Leonardo asked as he scanned the room for her.

Kairai jumped down from the ceiling and landed in front of the trio. She smirked at Leonardo as she unsheathed her sword.  
"Why, I'm here for the girl. Some guy is paying us big money for her."

"Well that's too bad. Cause she aint going anywhere with you." Raphael replied.

"You guys go. I'll keep her busy." Leonardo instructed without taking his eyes off of Kairai. Regardless of the circumstances he was always happy to see her and he hoped that if he was able to speak with her alone, he might be able to remind her of who she really was.

"But, we can't just-" Evelyn began to protest, but Raphael threw down a smoke bomb and took Evelyn away, leaving Leonardo to deal with Kairai on his own. He wasn't going to argue with Leo when Kairai wanted to take Eve. When Evelyn was able to see again, she and Raphael were in a long hallway and away from the security room.

"Come on. Let's find this doctor quickly so we can get back to Leo or this will be for nothing." Raphael said simply as he started to check the charts that hung next to the doors.

"R-right." Eve replied as she followed Raph's lead. He was right, if they didn't find the doctor, this was for nothing and Leo was fighting to buy them time. Her heart raced anxiously as she scanned each chart for a name. Having a time clock on this made it even more nerve wracking than before. At first, it didn't seem to be here, but after a moment or two, Raphael called her over to him. She rushed to the door he was waiting by and he showed her the name on the chart. This was it.

Raphael broke the handle on the door and was silently pleased that he could break in the low tech way. Since they were not able to break in quietly, they were met with a startled gasp from the patient inside.

"Wh-who's there?!" the man asked frantically. His figure was barely visible in the dark, but when Raphael turned on the lights, they saw a frail older man huddled in the corner of his bed that was set against the wall. Raphael wasn't worried about being seen by a mental patient since he was sure that anything he had to say wouldn't be taken seriously anyhow.  
The man's skin was scarred horribly and he no longer had any hair, save for a few loose strands. It was clear he had been burned and the eye on the left side of his face was white, presumably blinded in one eye.

Once the lights were on and the man was able to see them, he took little notice of Raphael as his eyes went wide once they gazed upon Evelyn.

"You...you came for me..." the man whispered. He stretched out his arms to reveal that both his hands had been severed, "...you came to take me..." he said in a shaky voice. Though he seemed happy to see her, he made no attempt to leave the bed.  
"you come to see me...every night. ..but I know now. ...you will take me this time..." he said with a detached smile as he stared at Evelyn.

Eve looked at Raphael and she was unsure what to say. She knew the man would be unhinged, but how was she supposed to speak with him? Raphael tilted his head a little and placed his hand on her shoulder. Gesturing for her to speak. After all, they didn't have a lot of time.  
She took a small breath and nodded her head before she turned back to the man.

"Why would I take you anywhere?" she asked evenly.

The man began to shake a little and his smile faded.  
"Revenge. ...you told me you would be back. ...but I'm ready now. I'm ready to die. The shadows...they whisper to me. They whisper to me, every night they come and they hurt me."

Evelyn was a little uncomfortable with his response, but she tried to keep her composure for Leonardo's sake. She had to get as much information as she could in the little time they had.  
"...Tell me my name." she insisted, trying to keep her breath even.

"Name...name...so many names. The shadows whisper your name and they cut and cut...and-" he seemed to trail off in nonsensical mumbles now.

"You were my doctor! Tell me what you did! Was I sick? Did you treat me?" Evelyn demanded, becoming a little impatient as he began to frighten her a little.

Doctor Willard stopped talking and looked straight at her with an intense gaze. A smile started to form across his face once more, as if he were remembering something pleasant.  
"When I cut you...you screamed so much. ...the screaming...it drowned out the shadows. ...I liked to cut you slowly...I had to drown out the shadows. I had to. They told me what to do. I was a good boy. I did what they told me. Cutting...cutting...cutting...cutting..." he trailed off into mumbles once more as he rocked gently in his bed.

Eve didn't like what she was hearing and Raphael placed both his hands on her shoulders.  
"Remember...he's nuts." he whispered to her. He was trying to keep calm so that he wouldn't alarm Evelyn further, but he really didn't want her to hear this stuff, "Just...ask him who you are."

Evelyn was visibly shaking, but she nodded her head once more.  
"J...just tell me my name..." She insisted again.

"Who are you now...?" the man replied, "never the same...never the same. ...but now you are you...and you came for me. Come to take me...take me home."

Evelyn began to feel sick to her stomach. It might have been the lyrical nonsense that he was spouting, but there was a feeling in the pit of her stomach. Almost as if a rage was building. A lump formed in her throat and she glanced at Raphael.  
"...I...I don't think we are going to get much out of him..." she said quietly in a trembling voice.

Raphael nodded his head, "Let's get out of here and back to Leo." he whispered. Really, he just didn't want her to hear anything this man had to say. Raphael planned on coming back here alone. He had some choice questions for this doctor. He pushed Eve from the room and shut the door hard, locking the door as best he could since he broke the handle. Once they left the room, they could hear the man start to laugh. His laughter felt like nails on a chalkboard to Eve. She covered her ears and tried to block it out as she and Raphael ran down the halls to get to Leonardo.

Raphael looked around the corner and saw a few sword slashes along the walls. They were fighting here, but where were they now? As Raphael tried to figure out which way to go, Evelyn saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned around just as a Foot bot made to grab for her. She barely had time to gasp before Raphael thrust a Sai through it's head.

"Come on!" he shouted at Evelyn as he took her hand and began to sprint with her down the long hallway, following the slashes on the walls in hopes it would lead them to Leonardo. Eve looked over her shoulder as they ran and she saw many other Foot bots running for them, even a few that were scaling the walls like bugs.

"Raphael!" She called out in order to bring this to his attention.

Once the Turtle glanced back and saw how many were coming for them, he grit his teeth and quickly scanned the hall. It was too narrow and even though he could take care of Foot bots easily, he wasn't sure he could deal with that many and still keep an eye on Evelyn. She might get taken or hurt in the chaos. He stopped at a fork in the hall and turned to face the on coming foot bots. "Get out of the building! We need more room!" he demanded.

"What about you?!" She asked in a panic.

"I'll be right behind ya, but you have to keep running!" he insisted as he gave her a gentle nudge, "go!"

Evelyn had made a promise that she would follow orders and she intended to do just that.  
"Don't get hurt!" she shouted at him as she made a dash to the left in order to look for a way out as he instructed. She was frantically turning her head as she ran quickly, hoping that she wouldn't miss a door or a window in her panic. Finally, she came across a broken window at the end of the hall. "I found a way out!" She shouted as she rushed for it. Evelyn could still hear Raphael grappling with the Foot bots and after a moment or two, she heard him respond.

"Gotch'a! Get outside! I'll meet you!" exclaimed Raphael as he fought to make sure the bots didn't get past him in the hallway to get to Eve.

When Evelyn finally made it to the broken window she could spot one of Leonardo swords on the ground. Eve gasped and bent down to pick it up. Was Leo hurt? Did he lose? She shook her head and gripped the handle of his sword. "No. He's fine." she said to herself quietly. Still, he was probably going to need this. She placed the sword carefully in between her chain, praying that it didn't come loose or accidentally cut her waist. The broken window still had large shards along it's edges, but she didn't have time to worry about glass. She cringed a bit as she pulled herself up by her hands, the glass cutting into her palms, which was only made worse by the added weight of her body as she lifted herself up to her waist. Once her hips were lifted to the windowsill, Evelyn pushed herself forward and let herself do a small, (unbalanced) flip out of the window. Even though this landed her on bottom. At least she was out of the building and lucky enough to land on soft grass. Unfortunately for her, since she had tied Leo's sword to her waist, it hit the ground with her and didn't land quite right. It caught the chain and pushed up as it hit the ground, causing Eve a little discomfort.

She adjusted the chain and pulled the sword out, noting the blood that was dripping from her hands. Her palms stung terribly as she held tight to the swords handle and got to her feet.  
"Simple break in, huh?" she muttered as she began to make her way across the lawn. She appeared to have escaped into some sort of garden area. Probably a place where the patients went for fresh air. As she ran, there were cut up flower bushes and kicked up dirt in front of her. She took this as a sign that Leo and that girl had been this way. Following the mess, Evelyn finally began to hear the sound of swords clanging together and the murmur of Leonardo's voice. It wasn't until she got much closer to the middle of the garden area that she was able to make out what they were saying.

Finally coming into view, Evelyn smiled when she saw Leonardo's shell. He was crossing swords with Kairai, but rather than looking like a fight, it appeared to be more of a dance.

"Kairai, please just listen to me!" Leonardo pleaded as he held her sword at bay. Evelyn still wasn't close enough to draw attention to herself, but even if she were, Leonardo and Raphael had told her to hide rather than be in the way. She tucked herself behind a rose bush and held tight to the sword in her hands.

"I don't care about your lies!" Kairai shouted back as she swiped her sword at the turtle, "i only came here for the girl!"

"Kairai, you're not in your right mind! Please, you have to remember. We are not your enemies, do you really think _I_ am your enemy?" Leonardo asked as he blocked her sword with his own, allowing them to speak face to face now.

"I agree, it's a shame. You're cute and all, but you know what they say about mixing work with pleasure." Kairai joked.

"I'm serious Kairai." Insisted Leonardo as he quickly shifted his feet and tripped Kairai so that she would fall backward, but before she was able to hit the ground, Leo disarmed her and brought his hand to her waist in order to keep her up. Evelyn peeked out from behind the rose bush, watching as Leonardo and Kairai looked at one another. A small pain wrenched in her stomach. This wasn't much like a fight. More like she were watching a dangerous sort of dance.

"Look, if you really don't want to fight me, just give me the girl and I'll be on my way." Kairai replied with a smirk, making little effort move from the position they were in.

"You know I'm not going to do that," he replied, "who's paying you for this anyhow?" Leonardo asked as he helped Kairai to her feet.

"Hmph, that hardly matters. Some billionaire that came to town a while ago." she replied, "and he's offering us a lot of cash to bring the girl back to him. Unharmed. Like that's any fun."

"So you'd just hand her over to some guy who offers you money?"

" _A lot_ of money," Kairai pointed out, "what's it to you? Do you have a crush or something?"

Evelyn's chest clenched a little and she gripped the handle of his sword. She was certain that she didn't want to hear this.

"You know I don't." Leonardo replied simply as he took a step towards Kairai, holding out his hands as he slowly approached her, "you know who I care about. Or at least...you used to."

Kairai frowned a bit, but she didn't step back. Her head was actually starting to hurt a little as Leonardo spoke. He was trying to convince her of a fantasy story. Of that she was sure, so why did she feel so conflicted right now. She placed a hand to her head in pain and she felt dizzy, causing her to wobble slightly. Leonardo reached out at once and held Kairai's shoulders gently in order to help steady her. He looked at her in concern, but having her so close after so long, he really didn't want to let go.

"Kairai..." he began gently.

"Leo..." Kairai mumbled softly through the pounding pain in her head. It was as if something was trying to scratch at the surface of her mind. It was becoming a little too much to take.

"Please Kairai...I can help you. ...I don't want you to go back to the Foot..." Leonardo said softly as he pulled her in against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. She was still a mutant, so this may have been bad judgement on his part since she could easily bite him and release her poison, but he had missed her so much and he didn't want to let go.  
"I'm so sorry, Kairai. ...I wanted to save you. ...I failed...so many times."

As he spoke, Leo gently pulled away from the girl in order to look at her face. He could on her face that she was in pain and confused. Was the mind control in her mind causing her pain? He stared into her eyes with a pained expression of his own. All he wanted to do was have her back and she was so close to him now. Wasn't there anything that he could do?

Kairai looked back at him and without much warning, she brought her hand to his face and stroked his cheek slightly. Leonardo tensed a little, but he allowed himself to hope just a little that she was remembering something, or feeling something.  
Her head was killing her and Kairai knew that she couldn't fight like this, but before she was going to leave, she felt an urge to be a little closer to Leonardo.  
"I will tell you this..." she started quietly, "That girl is dangerous. ...You'd be better off getting rid of her."

Leonardo was so entranced that he almost didn't register what she had told him.  
"What...?" he asked.

Kairai smiled a little before she leaned over and pressed her lips against the turtles cheek. Catching him completely off guard by this, she used that moment of surprise as her opportunity to push him from her.

"Kairai, wait!" Leonardo pleaded as he tried to reach for her again.

"Sorry, Leo. Another time." she said simply as she tossed a smoke bomb at her feet and vanished in the haze.

Leonardo looked heartbroken as he stared at the thinning vapors. He sighed miserably and picked up his sword off the ground. He turned to leave the garden now. There was no longer any reason to be here and perhaps he could rejoin Eve and Raphael inside the building. As he made to leave the garden, he spotted his second sword sitting on the grass next to a large rosebush. The handle was bloody and there was more blood on the grass beside it. Where had the blood come from? Leonardo bent down and took his other sword in his hands, continuing on towards the building to meet with Evelyn and Raphael. At the very least, he had gotten a little information out of Kairai and he was able to see her for just a moment. He was actually able to hold her...even if only for a little while.

 **A/N: This chapter ran so long! Sorry about that. lol  
Well, Kairai has made her first appearance. I know it was short, but don't worry, she will be back. This chapter covered a lot and I wanted to do more with Dr. Willard, but no worries. He will be back as well.  
Let me know what you think and I'll see you all in the next chapter! **


	15. The Beginning of the End

**Chapter Fifteen: The Beginning of the End**

Evelyn panted as she ran from the garden. She had seen more than enough of Leonardo's talk with Kairai and she didn't want to hear anymore. Without thinking, she had left his sword behind and forgot all about what they had come there for and the fact that Raphael was probably looking for her. All the while that she sat behind that rose bush, she felt like such a fool and what's more, she felt even worse for being upset over it. Leonardo was not her's, so it was not as if something was being taken from her, but it still hurt. In a sense, it felt like he was laughing at her. Did he know how she felt? Also, as it usually goes, there was that selfish part of her that asked, 'why not me?' Wasn't she pretty enough? Was it because she was not as skilled as Kairai?

Evelyn stopped running now, staring down at the pavement she stood on. These were the thoughts that she hated herself for. She didn't know anything about Kairai...and yet she was comparing herself to her. It wasn't healthy and it wasn't any fun. It only made her feel ugly. If nothing else, she didn't want Leonardo to see her face, her expression must have been the worst right now.

Her heart was in a constant state of pain now. It was as if someone had tied a rope around it and simply tightened it too much. Leonardo was not hers. She never even told him that she cared for him like that, so it would have been silly to blame him, but somehow, she felt angry towards him. Was this how everyone felt when someone didn't like them back?

She looked around, noting that she had indeed left the garden and was now near the front of the building. She thought it would be a good night, but between the troubling things that Dr. Willard said and overhearing Leonardo and Kairai, this was now one of the worst for her. Her nose kept burning insisting that she cry, but she took a deep breath and tried to choke back her tears. What was the point of crying? Her palms stung horribly and her blood still dripped to her feet. This really was the worst.

"EVE?!" Raphael called out from behind her.

Evelyn turned around quickly to see Raphael's back to her as he scanned for her. Suddenly, she felt even worse. How long had she made Raph worry about her?

"I'm here." she replied simply, but raising her voice a little so that he could hear her.

The turtle turned around at once and quickly ran over to her. The closer that he got, he could see blood dripping to the ground around her and his heart pounded frantically in his chest. The second he was next to her, he placed his arms against her shoulders and looked her body over in a panic. "Your hands!" he exclaimed, reaching down and holding her palms up to inspect them.

Evelyn watched Raphael panic in silence. After everything that had happened tonight, she felt rather drained and with Raphael so close, she felt safe enough to shut down a little.  
"It's okay. I cut them on some glass. Should heal pretty quick..." she replied quietly.

Raphael pulled some bandage from hos strap and began to wrap her hands, just as she did for him a little earlier that day. Eve didn't move as Raphael tended to her, but there was a pit in her stomach and her heart tightened in her chest. Why did Raphael care about her so much? Hadn't she done nothing but hurt him this whole time that she chased after Leonardo? A few tears fell down her cheeks and when Raph noticed, he released her hands at once.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked quickly.

Evelyn shook her head silently, still trying to keep her tears back. Though it seemed futile at this point. It was all a little too much to hold in now. Finally, she allowed herself to cry. Raphael panicked again as she suddenly burst into tears. Was she scared? Did what that patient said really get to her?

"Hey...it's okay..." he said softly. He wasn't the best when it came to comfort and he hated to see her cry. "...that guy was nuts. He didn't know what he was talking about. His mind is probably too far gone to e-"

As he did his best to calm her down, Evelyn leaned herself against his chest and held her hands over her nose and mouth to keep her sobbing quiet. The turtle blushed a little and at first he stood still, but after a moment, he wrapped his arms around her slender frame and held her close.

"...It's okay. Hey...I'm sorry I let you run off. ...I shouldn't have left you alone..." he said as he stroked her back gently with his hand.

She shook her head again. "No. It's not that. I just want to go home..." she replied.

" _There_ you guys are!" Leonardo exclaimed as he rushed over to them. Both of his swords were sheathed and he smiled as he approached them. "So much for a simple task." he said quietly.  
Evelyn flinched when she heard Leonardo approach and she hid her face further against Raphael's chest.

"Evelyn...are you okay?" Leonardo asked as he tilted his head a little to try and see her.

"She hurt her hands." Raphael replied for her, feeling a little relieved that Evelyn didn't rush from his arms to go to Leo. In fact, she seemed to burrow further into his embrace.

"Hurt her hands?" Leo repeated, looking down at the floor now and seeing all the blood. It didn't take him too long to connect the dots here. Foot bots didn't bleed, Kairai wasn't hurt, and neither were Raphael or himself. So that meant the bloody handle of his sword and the blood near the rose bush belonged to Eve. He felt his stomach drop. It wasn't as if he was trying to keep Kairai a secret or anything, but if Eve had overheard them...he was sure that it wasn't pleasant to hear.  
"Evely-"

"-It's nothing!" Evelyn insisted quickly, but still refusing to look at him. She really just didn't want him to see her like this. Envy wasn't a pretty emotion, "I...I just want to go home." she said again.

"Well that's good...because I'm here to take you home." A young man appeared in front of them all in a black business suit. His black hair was slicked back and his suit was accented by a blood red tie. When he looked at the Turtles his piercing sapphire seemed to have a gentle glow in the dark.

Eve wanted to look behind her, but Raphael held her tight and kept her face against his shell to keep her from looking around. The voice that she heard though; it sounded so familiar.

"Who are you?" Leonardo demanded, pointing his sword at the stranger.

"I like the red ribbon, do you like it?" the man replied simply.

The turtles looked confused until Evelyn's body went limp in Raphael's arms; completely unconscious.

"What did you do?!" Raphael growled at once as he held Evelyn in his arms to keep her from falling to the floor.

"I just don't want her to see anything unpleasant." the man said simply as he shrugged his shoulders. "Now...why not hand her to me?"

"Like _that's_ going to happen!" Leonardo said sternly as he pointed both his swords at the man now, "Undo whatever you did to her, _right now_!"

"Giant turtles..." the stranger started as he took a step forward, "...I have seen a lot of things in my time...but I never expected something like giant turtles. This city has certainly gone to shit. Aliens, mutants, and now...turtle _ninja's_...that's a new one."

"Raphael, get Evelyn out of here!" Leonardo ordered quietly, making sure to keep his eyes on the man.

Usually, Raphael would argue with him, but not this time. All he wanted was to make sure that Evelyn was safe and it was clear that she was not safe her. That stranger shut her down with a phrase after all.

"I'll thank you to remove your hands from her now. ...you've all dirtied her long enough."

"Dirtied her?!" Raphael repeated angrily, "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Raph! Just go!" Insisted Leonardo before he launched himself forward to shut the stranger up, but before he even got close, something snagged at his feet and caused the turtle to fall forward.  
"Wha-?!" he exclaimed, looking back at his feet to see the black shadows that were wrapped around his feet.

"Leo!" Raphael shouted as he attempted to scoop Evelyn up and rush over to his brother.

"What are you doing, Christopher?" The woman in black appeared next to the man, cloaked in her black robe as usual, "I told you that it wasn't time. You're going to ruin everything." she hissed.

"You!" Raphael shouted through gritted teeth.

"I want her back! She belongs to me and these _things_ are ruining her!" shouted the man. He was throwing a tantrum like a child now, slowly losing his business-like demeanor.

"That's enough Mr. Saunders. We have to go now. You will get her back soon. Very soon..." the cloaked woman reassured him gently, doing her best to calm him down. "...but we have to go now. We need more supplies...and more time." She didn't seem to give Christopher any time to argue with her before she touched his hand and the two sank into the shadow beneath them and vanished.

Raphael and Leonardo stared in shock where the two had disappeared and everything was silent for a long time. Evelyn was still unconscious in Raphael's arms and Leonardo was no longer being held down by his feet.

"Wha...what was that?" Raphael asked no one in particular.

"Christopher Saunders..." began Leonardo quietly as he got to his feet and brushed himself off a bit, "...that's what she called him." Leonardo turned his gaze to the sleeping Eve. "...things are really getting complicated now..."

"Complicated how?" asked Raphael as he adjusted her in his arms to make her more comfortable. "Eve is safe. That's all that matters."

Leonardo sighed a little and sheathed his swords. What was all this? Kairai warned him that Evelyn was dangerous. People were dropping into shadows and his brother was falling for a girl they really didn't know anything about. He cared about Eve, but it was started to weigh on Leonardo a little. It was starting to feel as though this was turning into something bigger than any of them could handle. He wasn't a psychic like April, but he was getting a very bad feeling about all this.

"Come on, Leo. We need to get back home. We've already been out here too long." said Raphael as he pat Eve's cheek to try and wake her, "...what did that bastard do to you...?" the turtle whispered.

"We'll have Donnie check on her when we get back. The sun is gonna come up soon and you know we can't have her out in the light."

Rapheal nodded his head and the two set off to go back home. Leonardo didn't like how singularly Raphael was thinking about all this. He knew that his brother cared about Eve, but he was overlooking a lot for her sake. He didn't seem to want to look at everything that was going on and he was clearly willing to hide things from his family to keep her safe. Apparently...even from them. It was time for a real talk. They couldn't avoid it any longer.

Back at the lair, the turtles were met by their brothers and Mikey panicked to see Evelyn passed out in Raphael's arms. Of course, everyone wanted to know what happened up there, but Raphael was not too worried about filling them in. Instead, he tugged at Donatello and insisted that he follow him to check on Evelyn. Donnie was concerned as well, so he didn't exactly argue as he was dragged to the lab. Mikey ran off to follow them, but Leonardo stayed exactly where he was. He watched as his brothers walked away and in his silence, April approached him. She could tell that something was on his mind.

"What happened up there?" asked April as she walked up beside Leonardo with a concerned expression.

Leonardo didn't take his eyes from the his brothers backs, "I don't really know, April. Do you have a bad feeling? I mean about any of this?" "

April was quiet for a moment or two before she answered him, "I...it's complicated. I wouldn't say it's a bad feeling...just...a weird feeling."

"Can you do something for me?" asked Leo without missing a beat.

"What is it?"

"I need you to look up the name Christopher Saunders. I'm not sure how it's spelled."

"sure. Is this about Evelyn?"

"Yeah. As soon as you get the info, come and find me. I need to talk to Raphael." Leonardo said as he offered April a smile and left to join his brothers.  
Once he arrived in the lab, he was relieved to see that everyone seemed in good spirits. He could only assume that Eve was going to be okay. Though he could see that she was still unconscious. He shut the lab doors and sighed as he prepared himself to tell his other brothers about their eventful trip to the surface. After he and Raphael compared stories and they were all on the same page, there was a noticeable silence in the room. No one quite knew what to say or think about the woman in black and Christopher.

"So...he said that Eve belongs to him, huh?" Donatello mused aloud, "What do you think her meant by that?"

"Not sure. A lover?" Leonardo speculated.

"Nope! Try again." Raphael snapped.

"Whoever he is...he didn't seem to like us being around her. Than there was that woman who said it wasn't the right time. Clearly, they want to use Eve for something...but I don't know when or for what." said Leonardo as he stared at Evelyn.

"It doesn't matter. If we keep her here and away from the surface, there should be no problem at all." insisted Raphael.

Mikey stood up from his seat and nodded, "Yeah! She's safe here."

Leonardo sighed and rubbed his temples, "I thought we went over this. ...Eve can't just hide here forever. She probably doesn't even want to."

"So you're just gonna hand her over to-" started Raphael in a huff.

"-I'm not saying anything like that!" Leo snapped in reply, "Of course we are going to keep her here. They obviously want her for something and we can't let that happen. So until we find out exactly who these people are, Eve doesn't go anywhere and someone always stays with her. Master Splinter is here, so she will be safe, but if she goes anywhere in the tunnels, someone has to go with her."

"Finally, a plan I can get behind." Raphael said simply as he sat himself down beside Eve, "I'll stay with her tonight."

"...how long will she be asleep?" Mikey asked quietly before he took Eve's hands.

Donatello rubbed the back of his neck and sighed sadly, "I don't know. She's stable and everything looks fine. ...she's just sleeping. ...but it's hard to say when she might wake up. All we can do is wait."

As the turtles discussed their plan of action, Kairai was being led down a long hallway of an old mansion with a few foot bots walking behind her. Two identically dressed young maids opened the double doors for the ill tempered young girl and announced her arrival as she entered a grand dining hall.

"So why did I have to come all the way out here?" Kairai asked while crossing her arms over her chest and stopping at the edge of the long wooden, polished dining table. Christopher was sitting at the head of the table with a few sheets of paper in front of him.

"It's almost time." he said as he stood from his seat, "If your father wants any of my money, you had better be able to bring her back to me in time."

"If we knew where the turtles were keeping her, we would go and get her. It would help if you would tell us more about her. All you told me last time was that she was dangerous, but you didn't say why."

"You don't need to know why! You do your jobs! Let's not forget that your people are the ones that let her get away!" he shouted, "You _left_ her alone with that disgusting bug and he scared her and then he couldn't even get her back! _Now_ she is somewhere in the sewers with some mutated _freaks!_ This is on _you!"_ Christopher was shouting at Kairai as he pounded his fists against the table.

Kairai stood there with a blank face, keeping her cool as Christopher lost his. From the moment her father was hired by this unhinged man, she had a bad feeling. Just like their deals with the Kraang. Her father wasn't exactly strapped for cash, so why was he working for this crazy rich man? She tuned him out as he continued to rant and rave about how she wasn't doing her job. Glancing to the side, she looked at the oil painting above the fireplace.  
Christopher looked just a little younger, standing behind a beautiful red velvet chair in a grey suit. Sitting in the chair was Evelyn, or who Evelyn used to be. Her long raven curls were tied back by a silk red ribbon and she was wearing a an old crimson Victorian dress. As Christopher ranted, Kairai pressed a button on her belt before she turned her attention back to Christopher.

"Don't worry sir. I'll get her back before the new moon. We know how the turtles operate. We can lure them and we can take her." she said simply.

Christopher finally calmed himself a little and adjusted his tie as he took a deep breath.  
"I have something that might help you. ...I need her out of the sewers...and my hope is that she will remain asleep until she is back home." He slid a canister down the table towards Kairai.  
"Just let this dust loose in the sewer and it will essentially smoke them out."

"Of course...sir." Kairai agreed begrudgingly. She did her best to keep her voice even as she took the canister and attached it to her belt. She may not have really believed what Leonardo was telling her, but something in her gut didn't sit right with this man and a part of her didn't want to put Leo in the middle of all this. The new moon was only a few days away. Whatever this guy was planning and whatever he needed that girl for, it was on it's way.

 **A/N: I'm so sorry that this chapter was so late and that it's so long, but it's been a very busy month for me. My sister is finally married, but that does not mean I am free. My birthday is in 4 days and I am still getting ready for my trip to England. I have so much to do.  
Still, I'm trying to keep myself writing since it's the only thing that seems to keep me sane. This chapter wasn't much, but the next one will be longer. Promise.  
Also, this chapter may be a little sloppy, but I will look it over later.  
**


	16. While you Slept

**Chapter 16: While you slept.**

With Evelyn still asleep in the lab, tensions were running high among the turtles. It had been almost a full day and Eve didn't show any signs of waking up. Donatello did his best, but he didn't want to make things worse and besides, Raphael wouldn't exactly allowing a series of tests. This wasn't a poison so it wasn't like when Kairai came back. No one knew what to. Raphael had been by her side for most of the day, even finding himself nodding off once or twice, but he stayed put. April had gone home to check on her father, Leonardo was speaking with master Splinter, and Mikey was doing his best to distract himself with whatever he could until Eve opened her eyes.

Meanwhile, Kairai had long left Christopher's mansion and instead of heading straight home, she was now standing next to a large storm drain in a dark alley. That man rubbed her the wrong way and something else was bothering her. The only person she could think of that might help her at this point, was Leo. For some reason she trusted him. She took a quick scan of the alley before she pried open the grate and quietly made her way into the sewers. Kairai may have gotten a strange dust to lure them out, but she wasn't about to use it until she knew what it was. Besides, the young ninja had something that Leonardo needed to see.

"How much longer is this going to take?!" Raphael demanded as he slammed the doors to the lab shut after returning to

"How am I supposed to know?" Asked Donatello, "especially when I don't know what shut her down in the first place."

"That bastard said something to her! She just-I already told you what happened! Can't you just wake her up?!" Raphael snapped in a frustrated panic.

Donatello took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. He was trying very hard to have patience with his brother. He knew this was not easy for him, but at the same time he didn't appreciate the pressure.

"Look..." He began, "...she's okay. At least she's not in any pain. I'll keep monitoring her...and maybe soon we can-"

As Donatello spoke, an alarm began to sound from his computer screen. It was the security system he had set up in the tunnels. Donatello and Raphael exchanged looks and when Raph simply turned his attention back to Eve, Donatello took the hint and left on his own.

Leonardo and Mikey were already near the entrance and once Donnie joined them, the turtles rushed off to find the intruder. They didn't bother to wait for Raphael, since each one assumed that he didn't want to leave Evelyn's side.

"Where was it?" Leo asked as they ran along the walls of the old tunnels.

"Tunnel 34." Donatello answered as he fiddled with a strange controller.

With his brothers gone to check on the security breach, Raphael was left alone with Evelyn. He took her limp hand and held it gently between his own. He hated feeling useless. This entire deal with Eve was frustrating for him. The only problems he could deal with easily were the ones that he could solve by knocking someone out, but with Evelyn, it was like all he could do was wait.

"Come on, Eve..." began Raphael, "...please stop doing this. ...I can't lose you without even having a chance to fight for ya..." The teenage ninja brought her hand to his face and kissed her palm.

This was painfully reminiscent of when she was first brought here and he sat by her bedside all night. The guilt rushed back to him as he looked at her face. If he had just been more careful, Eve wouldn't have lost her memory and she wouldn't be in this situation now. She asked him back then to save her and even if that request was made out of panic and fear, even if she really didn't see who she was asking, it was HIM that she pleaded with, and it was him that let her down. He still hated himself for it.

"You are troubled my son..." Observed Master Splinter as he came into the room.

Raphael looked up and met his fathers eyes, "sensei..."

"Do not worry. I do not feel that Evelyn is in any danger."

"...but she won't wake up." replied Raphael as he gripped her hand a little.

Master Splinter walked around the table and placed his hand on his sons shoulder, "Evelyn has many buried demons. They wait in the shadows for her and call out her name. She is fighting...just as you are, but her enemies are unseen. Can you really sit idly by while your brothers and Evelyn fight?"

"But I don't want to leave her alone..." Raphael replied quietly.

"Go. I will watch over her." Splinter reassured.

Raph looked at Eve's face as he wrestled with his own conflicting emotions. As much as he wanted to stay by her side, he knew it was useless to sit here when he could be helping to keep her safe. Still; it was difficult to leave her like this. She looked so peaceful. He wasn't usually one to find beauty in most things like this and he really had no idea exactly when he started to see her that way, but she was beautiful in his eyes. Finally, he took a short breath and nodded his head. He carefully laid her hand down at her side and turned to his father with a bow of gratitude.

"Thank you, Master." The hot tempered turtle said quietly before he quickly dashed off to join his brothers.

Kairai was waiting patiently with a smirk on her face. She could hear the turtles racing towards her. The young ninja sat herself against the bricked up walls and sharpened her sword until Leonardo and his two brothers finally spotted her.

"What took you so long?" she asked before she sheathed her sword and stood up to greet them.

Leonardo felt his heart skip a beat against his chest. He didn't expect to see her again so soon, but was this a good thing? He reached back and gripped the handles of his swords as he kept his eyes on her. Regardless of his feelings, he was still the leader and he had to be careful.  
"What are you doing here, Kairai?" he demanded as his brothers took a fighting stance beside him.

"Oh come on now, if I wanted to fight, you'd already be on the ground." she replied as she took a small flash drive from her belt and tossed it towards the Turtles feet.

"What's that?" asked Leonardo.

"Something you need to see," answered Kairai, "it's about your new pet. Also, I thought we could have a little talk, but just the two of us." she finished as she glanced at Leo.

Donatello and Mikey were taken aback and turned their attention towards their brother, who seemed just as surprised to hear it as they did. Leo was a little shocked, but secretly, his heart was pounding and he couldn't have been more excited. Kairai didn't want to fight _and_ she wanted to talk? Before his brothers could say or do anything, Leo stepped forward and removed his hands from his swords.

"No funny business, Kairai." he replied simply.

"Who, me?" she teased softly as she turned her back and began to walk away, knowing that Leonardo was bound to follow her.

"You're not seriously gon-" Donatello began, but Leonardo held up his hand to silence him before he left to follow Kairai.

"Go check out that chip. ...I'll be back soon." Leonardo insisted as he walked away.

Donatello bent down and picked up the flash drive. "...ever feel like we are getting the short end of the stick here?"

"Eh, it is short, but I don't think that came from a stick." Mikey replied seriously.

Donatello sighed and rested his face against his palm for a moment or two before he finally turned around and slapped Mikey at the back of the head as he headed back to the lair. Donatello could only hope that whatever was on this flash drive was actually helpful to them.

Leonardo followed Kairai for a little while before he finally spoke up, "so...what's this all about?" he asked, stopping just short of another tunnel.

"This is about _your_ new pet...and _my_ new employer," she replied simply, turning around to face the turtle, "When he hired my father, it was a simple bodyguard job. He hired the Foot to watch over a girl as she got a little work done. ...but now it's turning into something a little more iffy. Something I think might affect all of us."

"Work done?" repeated Leonardo, "what kind of work?"

"Apparently, she was getting new eyes." answered Kairai with an amused shrug of her shoulders.

Leonardo flinched a little. New eyes? Why did she need new eyes? He tried to shake off his surprise in order to keep his composure and get as much information as possible.  
"So...this Christopher guy hired you to watch Eve while she was operated on?"

"That's right. They didn't even sedate the girl. At least, that's what I was told. We figured that Stockmen and a few footbots would be enough to deal with her, but apparently the girl had more fight in her than we anticipated. After her surgery was over and she was recouping, the girl brought down the footbots and ran. After she escaped...our employer started to lose it. He started to let things slip. ...things that didn't sit very well with me."

"Like what things?"

"He said he needed her for the, 'The End.'" Kairai answered, "and I don't know about you, but to me, that doesn't sound great."

Leonardo was quiet as he absorbed everything that Kairai was telling him. Evelyn had been given new eyes and she was going to be used for some unknown purpose that even Kairai wasn't sure of.  
"Do you know who she was? ...Her name?" Leo asked now, trying to get as much from this as possible.

"Ah, well he kept calling her M-" Kairai wasn't able to finish her sentence before the canister on her belt set off a quick electrical charge. The surge happened so fast that neither Kairai, nor Leonardo had much time to react before shocks ran through Kairai's body and caused her body to suddenly seize up.

"KAIRAI!" Leonardo shouted desperately as he rushed in without thinking and grabbed the canister in a fevered attempt to pull the offending item from her body. In this panicked action, Leonardo was also caught in the electrical surge. He grit his teeth and did his best to stay focused as jolts of pain shot through his body.

"L-LET GO, IDIOT!" Kairai demanded as she struggled to regain a little control of her body. She could do nothing but watch Leo's pained face while he pulled at the canister with all his might.

"NOT HAPPENING! HOLD ON, KAIRAI!" He shouted in reply through gritted teeth. The electric jolts that shot through his arms and shocked along his back, made it very difficult for Leonardo to focus through the pain, but there was no way he was going to leave Kairai to suffer and run off on his own. Neither of them could tell how long they had been in pain, but Leonardo's vision was starting to blur and he was almost certain that Kairai was starting to fade a little.  
"D-DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES!" he shouted desperately, still feeling the surge of pain along his spine and finding it very difficult to keep his own eyes open. The last thing he saw before everything went dark was Kairai's face. Finally, the turtle fell forward, leaving himself and Kairai unconscious in the dark tunnels.

Raphael didn't see any of his brothers while he tried to join them in their search for the security breach. Sitting by Evelyn's bedside was causing him nothing but worry so he was looking forward to punching something. Although, as he wandered through the tunnels, he heard Leonardo shouting in pain. Raphael gasped and launched himself forward to dash towards his brother. Unfortunately for Raphael, when he thought he reached the source of the distress, he was met with nothing but silence and a piece of paper that was left on the ground next to his brothers swords and Kairai's mask. His heart stopped as he quickly scooped up the note on the floor.

 _ **Trade you.** _

It was all the note read, but it had an address and time on the back. The note wasn't hard to decipher. This was about Evelyn. It had to have been that Christopher guy. He took his brother and Kairai in order to trade for Eve. Where were Donatello and Mikey? Weren't they supposed to be with Leo? Raphael felt a sharp pain in his chest as he crumpled the paper in his fist and punched the brick wall in frustration. If he had been here, maybe Leo wouldn't have been taken. Evelyn had been with them for weeks and all of a sudden it was like an avalanche had occurred with nothing but problems and they couldn't escape it. Things were spiraling out of control and it was happening so fast that he almost felt sick. What were they supposed to do now? He had the address, so should they just go and storm the place? But than what would happen to Kairai or Leonardo? They couldn't just hand over Eve though.

Raphael didn't waste any time in returning to the lair. He had to find his other brothers and they had to figure out what to do. He had no idea what that man would do to Leo or Kairai. He didn't want to worry Splinter, but how could they keep this from him? Once he arrived back home, it seemed that Donatello and Mikey had replaced Splinter by Eve's side. He was a little relieved to see that Splinter was not around at the moment. It would give him a chance to talk with his brothers. He shut the doors to the lab and showed them the note he found and they discussed their encounters that night. Donnie and Mikey both looked noticeably guilty for leaving Leo alone, but the guilt was replaced with determination rather quickly.

"So what do we do?" Mikey asked in a hushed panic.

Donatello glanced over at the sleeping Evelyn and than back at his brothers.  
"We could arrange an exchange. Pretend we are going to give him Eve, if not just to see where he is keeping them."

"We _know_ where he is keeping them! He gave us the damn address! The problem is, he has _two_ hostages!" Raphael insisted as he did his best to keep his tone to a whisper.

"Well...we could always just go there in secret. We could take a chance and try to save them." Mikey suggested.

"We don't know for sure that he's keeping them at that address. We could get caught and he could hurt them." replied Donatello.

"Maybe, April could pose as Eve! She would only need a black wig or something and uh-uh..." Mikey stammered a little in his anxious panic. They had been in situations like this before, but when it came to his brothers, he had a tendency to lose his cool.

"Okay! Let's just calm down a little," began Donatello, "what would Leo do?"

That question seemed to silence each one of them. Raphael turned around slowly to look at Evelyn as she slept peacefully. Seeing her like that, he couldn't help but laugh to himself a little. She almost looked like that old fairytale of Snow White. Her dark raven hair, pale skin, and rosy lips, it was almost as if she stepped right out of the book and into their lives to write a new story for herself. Or perhaps he was biased at this point. He never thought he would find a girl like Evelyn to be his type, or even falling for a human girl when he knew the odds very well, but here he was. Now he was, holding a scrap of paper that was asking him to trade her for his brother and sister. Raphael took a deep breath and turned back to his brothers as he tossed the crumpled piece of paper in the trash.

"Donnie, call April. Tell her to meet us at the Library. First, we'll check that hard drive that Kairai gave you...and then...we'll get ready to go and get Leo and Kairai out of there...without Eve." ordered Raphael.

Donatello was already on his phone and dialing April's number when Mikey looked at his older brother in concern.

"What happens when they notice we didn't bring Eve?" asked Mikey.

"Hopefully...we'll have gotten them out by then." replied Raphael, "Don't worry, Mikey...we'll fix all this."

Michelangelo smiled a little as his brother reached out and pat his hand against his shoulder. At the very least, they weren't in this alone.

"Okay. April is on her way to the library. Also, she said she had something to show us too." Donatello announced as he tucked his T-phone back into his shell strap.

Raphael nodded and they all turned to look at Evelyn. Almost as if they all had the same idea, each one stepped up to stand beside Eve's bedside.

"Don't worry, Evelyn. By the time you wake up, Leo will be back home." said Donatello as he smiled down at the girl he considered a great friend at this point. He could talk to her about April and even if she didn't understand science very well, she always indulged him when he was ranting about something she knew nothing about. Donnie didn't want to trade her anymore than the others did and he was sure that Leo would agree. He turned and head for the door now, leaving Mikey and Raph with her.

Mikey stepped up and lifted her small hand up in between his large green ones. He looked almost pained as he stared at her sleeping face.  
"...when...we get back...you better be awake, okay?" he said softly as he gripped her hand gently, "...cause I..." Mikey's voice trailed off now. A lump formed in his throat and he had a hard time conveying what he wanted to say. His brother and sister were captured and now Evelyn wouldn't wake up. It was a little much for him to take and making it difficult for him to see the lighter side of any of this. Since Evelyn came here, he had done his very best to keep a smile on her face and somewhere along the line, her smile started to make his own that much brighter. Her smile and her voice seemed to shine for him somehow. No matter what happened now, he was looking forward to seeing his brother and her smile at the end of all this. The freckled turtle bent down a little and kissed her cheek before he placed her hand back at her side and dashed from the room. It sort of felt like they were all saying goodbye to Eve. Why did this all seem so final? His heart couldn't take all that right now. He had to believe they would all be okay after all this.

Finally, Raphael was left alone in the lab with her while his brothers waited for him at the entrance so they could go and attempt a rescue with very little knowledge of whom they were really fighting against. He took another deep breath and closed his eyes as he prepared himself a little.  
"...I don't know why this feels so heavy," he began quietly, "and I know if you were awake...you would probably want to trade yourself for Leo, but...we can handle this. I know you like Leo...but you should know, that I don't think he would consider trading you either. So...just wait for me, okay? Cause I'll bring my brother back." Raphael looked towards the labs opened doors; scanning for spying eyes. Finally, he leaned down and placed his hand against her cheek, brushing her skin with his thumb slightly. Why did it feel as though she wouldn't be here when he got back? He leaned down a little further and pressed his lips against her own. A soft kiss that at least eased his mind that she was not completely gone. Her lips were warm, just as they were when he had kissed her before. Raphael pulled slowly to see her face and his heart tightened for a moment. If she were awake, he was sure her face would be turning red and she'd be scolding him for stealing a kiss once again, but her expression was unchanged. He stroked her soft cheek before he pulled his hand away and straightened himself back up.  
"...Don't go anywhere, okay? ...Cause I have a lot more to say when I get back." With that said, Raphael turned to head for the door. They could get it all back couldn't they? They wouldn't have to trade anything for everything to go back to normal. He didn't want to. He took one last look at Evelyn before he shut the lab doors behind him and rush off to join his brothers at the entrance so they could leave and meet with April. Hopefully, they could all get what they wanted tonight.

 **A/N: Sorry this took so long! It seems I'm always saying that. lol  
Chapter 16 is done and for all you Leo lovers out there...the next chapter is really gonna sting. (I'm so sorry! I love him too! I swear!) but hey, you'll also get a wonderful LeoxKairai scene.  
And yeah, I did want Eve to have a very, "Snow White," look about her, though having Raphael see her that way may have been a little stretched. I doubt he liked fairy tales all that much growing up. Heh. **

**Also, for those of you who would like to see the illustrations I made for this story, you can see them on Tumblr. My name there is also "Starscheme." Using the hashtag, #evelyn, or #the price of memories, you should be able to see them all when you search on my blog page specifically. See you all next chapter! It's gong to be an angsty one and a little painful for the Leo lovers, (like myself) but I hope you will all forgive me for the feels.**


	17. Don't Look Away

**Chapter Seventeen: Don't look away  
**

Leonardo woke up in a haze. His vision was blurry and his head was pounding as if rocks had been tumbling around inside his skull. It wasn't until he actually got a little clarity that he realized every part of him was aching. He could only see shapes and blurry shadows at first, but the very smell indicated that he was no longer in the sewers. The last thing he remembered was trying to get Kairai separated from some strange device that was harming her. When he suddenly remembered that, he quickly sobered up and his vision began to focus. He jolted a bit in an attempt to move, but it became clear rather quickly that he was unable to move his limbs. He panicked and when his vision was finally returned to normal, he could see that he was strapped to a cot in some sort of lab. His wrists and ankles were chained to each end of the bed and all his equipment had been taken from him.

"Wha-what the-?!" he began weakly as he tried to pull against his chains. His vision was back to normal, but fairly limited in what he could see while he was chained down. He turned his head to the side and could see a small trail of blood dripping from his arm. It looked as if someone had made a very clean slice into his skin. The turtle tried to calm himself down so that he could asses the situation. Leo closed his eyes for a moment and tried to remember exactly how he had gotten here after he lost consciousness beside Kairai, but everything after that was completely blank.

"You should just let me kill it!" Christopher shouted as he entered the brightly lit lab and knocked over a few things along the way.

Leonardo panicked a little, but kept his eyes closed to maintain the appearance that he was sleeping.

"Calm down..." a woman's voice chimed in after a moment and Leo peeked very carefully at the pair. They had walked in from a large steel door and Leo took note that he could see a stairwell leading up just outside the door.

"We can't even use it for parts! It's disgusting." replied Christopher, "and that other _thing_ , I don't want it here either!"

"Oh...but you wouldn't deny me the chance to take a look would you?" asked the woman in a soft tone, "After all...it's not often I come across a mutant that can shift it's form back to look human. Truly something special. ...her DNA might be of some help to us as well. Maybe even help us with your-GAH!"

Christopher slapped the woman in the face before she could finish her thought. Leo couldn't see them very well from the other side of the room and the woman's back was to him, but Chris' expression was enraged.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" he demanded in a frenzy, "YOU WILL NOT USE THAT _THING_ ON HER!"

"...Y...yes. I'm sorry. ...it was just passing thought. I will not bring it up again." the cloaked woman replied quietly as she straightened herself back up.

Christopher cleared his throat and fixed his hair as he calmed himself a little.  
"Good. ...Now if you want to keep that thing, you will keep it down here with your other pets. I don't want it in my house." He replied evenly before he grabbed a few folders from a file cabinet and headed for the door, "Oh and make sure to have plenty of Medicine prepared for tonight," finished Christopher, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

It was silent now and as the woman began to turned around, Leonardo closed his eyes completely once more.

"I know you're awake. You can stop now." said the woman simply as she made her way over to him.

Leonardo sighed a little and opened his eyes to glare at the cloaked figure. On her way over to his bedside, she removed the hood of her cloak from her face to reveal a rather lovely face. However, when she turned her head, he could see that one eye was blackened with a small red light inside the hollow socket. There were strange scars around her empty eye. The other half of her face was seemingly fine. Her one eye was green and she had fire red, shoulder length hair. Finally reaching Leo's bedside, she smirked a little before turning to a small machine that was beeping beside him.

"Where's Kairai?" asked Leonardo as he glared at the woman.

"That snake thing?" began the redhead, "she's not dead, if that's what you're worried about. She'll join you in here soon."

"Why did you bring us here? What do you want?" he asked, still trying to pull at the chains that tied him down.

Before she could humor Leonardo with an answer, the door opened again and a few young maids wheeled in a rectangular, clear plastic prison. Inside, Leonardo could see and hear Kairai pounding against the walls in a mad fury. She had been stripped of her armor and dressed in a hospital gown, no doubt in a move to keep her from concealing weapons. It didn't look like there was much room for Kairai to move about, only enough room for her to stand attempt to smash the walls around her.

"Kairai!" Leonardo shouted, trying to get her attention and remove himself from the chains.

"Sit still!" the woman demanded in a low hiss as she pulled a dagger from inside her cloak and rammed it into his left shoulder.

Leonardo grit his teeth, but made an audible gasp of pain once the blade cut into his muscles and hit against his shoulder joint. The moment Kairai saw the blade go into the turtle, she stopped pounding against the walls and instead, looked on in shock as the maids set her small prison down at the end of Leo's bed. As if they were forcing her to watch him in pain.

Kairai's shock was replaced with rage as the woman pulled her blade from his shoulder and began to wipe the blood from it with her cloak. She watched in silence as Leo did his best to deal with the pain, but it was difficult when he couldn't move or do anything to stop the bleeding.

"That's better. ...you two are so noisy." the woman said simply, still holding the dagger in her hands tenderly.

"Why a-are we here?" Leonardo asked again as he tried to keep his focus.

"Hm? ...to lure out the young miss. So...you're a hostage. Keeping you alive is important, but you could still breath without a limb or two."

"Than let Kairai go. You don't need her." Leo insisted, deciding not to reply to her thinly veiled threat.

Kairai's eyes went wide and a confused, angry expression filled her eyes before she pounded on the wall with her fists. "Idiot! The bitch just _stabbed_ you!"

"That's so sweet. ...but no can do. She is no longer useful...which means I get to play with her. Her venom alone could have many uses. She is quite unique. Just like you..." the woman spoke softly as she brought the dagger back to him and ran the blade along his neck slowly, barely cutting his skin.

"Don't touch him, you ugly bitch!" Kairai hissed, pounding her fist against the wall once more.

The blade stopped when Kairai shouted and the woman turned to look at her curiously.  
"How cute. ...well...I suppose I can get a blood sample from his shoulder." She brought her face down to look at the large gash in the turtles shoulder and after a moment she pulled away with a bored look on her face. "...no. A fresher sample would be better..." said the woman as she trailed her daggers blade casually along the chest plate of his shell and stepping towards the edge of the bed.

"What are yo-AGH!" Leonardo began to speak, but was forced into a painful shout when she plunged her blade into his left thigh. The pain was bad enough, but she had barely pulled the blade out before she thrust it down again and again. All Leonardo could do was grit his teeth and try to bare it. He could faintly hear Kairai shouting and pounding against her prison wall, but he couldn't make out what she was saying anymore.

Finally, the woman stopped and took a few breaths to calm herself. She weakly waved one of the young maids over and dropped the dagger at her feet to step back from the bed. The maid brought a tiny vile with her and collected some of the blood that was dripping from the several gashes she had made into his thigh. The other maid rushed over and picked up the blade from the floor.

"...You're not a screamer..." the woman commented, looking a little exhausted, "I _like_ it when they scream." she growled lightly before she turned to leave the room.

Even as the woman left the room, Kairai was shouting at her. Leo's vision getting a little blurry as he was losing blood and in a great deal of pain, but he was almost sure Kairai had tears in her eyes. The maid that took his blood stepped forward and held a small block of wood up to his mouth.

"You need to bite down on this..." she said simply as she opened his mouth and placed the black between his teeth. He didn't exactly have the strength or the focus to struggle, still, he wondered why they would give this to him after the stabbing rather than before. Though, when the second maid returned with the dagger, he was horrified to learn the reason. The blade of the dagger was now glowing a tint of red, as if it had been heated in a fire. He didn't even have time to protest before the maid placed the scalding blade against the gashes that the woman had made. He bit down hard on the wood and did his best not to scream, but it was hard enough just to stay conscious during all this. The maid was applying the heat in short bursts and waited until the bleeding stopped before she moved onto the next wound on his leg. Leonardo couldn't help but writhe in pain as the girl continued her attempt to seal his wounds. He wasn't sure how long it was for sure, but it felt like it was never ending. She would leave every now and then to reheat the blade, while the other maid would pour alcohol on the ones that were already sealed up. He could faintly hear Kairai shouting at them to stop when he was actually able to focus a little.

Finally, when all of his wounds had been sealed and the cut on his shoulders bandaged up, a maid took the wooden block from his mouth and dried the sweat from his face with a damp cloth. He could barely breath at this point, but he tried his best to keep it together as they gave him a small injection. He thanked his luck that it seemed to be morphine. It dulled the pain a great deal, but he was still exhausted. After he was given the morphine, the maids left the room together, taking the blade and a few bloody rags with them.

"Kai...rai?" Leonardo breathed out as he tried to keep his eyes open and focused on the ceiling. He wanted to look at her, but he didn't have it in him to lift his head at this point. It was silent for a few minutes after the maids left and he just wanted to know that she was still in the room.

"You should go to sleep." Kairai replied quietly, her voice a little strained from all the shouting.

Hearing her voice was a great relief for the turtle. He smiled weakly and took a deep breath, "Ha...sleeping here...might mean a lot...worse when...I wake up."

Kairai had her hands pressed against the wall of her see through prison as she stared at Leonardo. She couldn't see his face very clearly, but she had a clear view of his singed leg. She had been forced to watch helplessly as they hurt him. She was able to see every drop of blood that left his body, the sizzling of his skin as they cauterized his wounds, and she could even smell the disgusting odor of burnt flesh. Al she could do while they tortured him was shout and make a fuss. She was desperately trying to break free and rip those women apart, but in the end, she was useless. It tore her up from the inside out to watch it all, but she didn't have the right to look away while Leonardo was forced to endure it. Now that it was over however; she felt weak in the knees. Kairai sat herself down on the floor and hugged her knees against herself, hoping that it would calm her trembling. Wiping her eyes, Kairai turned her head to look at his bed, unable to see anything except for the bottom of his feet now.

"...I'm gonna get us out of here. ...then I'll cut that woman's throat..." she said softly, her voice shaking a little.

Leonardo could hear the small tremble in her voice and he wished that he could at least comfort her, but he could barely keep his eyes open, let alone break free right now. His heart wrenched inside his chest when he realized how she must feel right now. If _he_ had been the one forced to watch _her_ get hurt like that, he didn't know how he keep his sanity.  
"No...killing." he replied finally, trying to sound as if he were scolding her in an attempt to lighten the mood for her a little.

"I'm not making any promises..." she said with a forced smile, still very much planning to gut the girls that hurt him. "...now get some sleep. ...please..." she insisted weakly, feeling tears grip at her eyes once more.

"...if you insist..." he joked quietly before he quickly slipped into a deep sleep. Finally feeling like it was all he could endure.

After a few moments of silence and Kairai was sure he had gone to sleep, she began to look around the room to memorize the layout. She was not going to miss the opportunity to escape. She wanted to make sure that she could get out and take Leo with her. So she committed every detail of the room to memory. She was determined to make everyone here regret what they hand done.

While Kairai silently plotted her revenge, Evelyn was still sleeping in Donatello's lab, but it was not a peaceful rest. A terrible nightmare was plaguing her mind as she saw images of Leonardo in pain. She could see him getting hurt, but no matter how hard she tried to get to him, she was unable to move. She tried to call out to him, but no sound came out, it was horrible. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she covered her face in her hands to keep from seeing more.

"Do you want to help him?" asked the cloaked woman as she appeared beside a weeping Evelyn.

Eve gasped lightly and and turned to look at the woman with a desperate expression.  
"Y-yes! Please!" she replied quickly. Her crush on Leonardo aside, he was her friend and very important to her. She just couldn't watch him suffer anymore.

"Young miss...you can save him. ...You just have to come home..." said the woman softly.

"H-home?" Evelyn repeated in confusion.

"Yes. If you come home...you can help Leonardo. In exchange for you...we will release Leonardo."

"Wai...what?" Evelyn was even more confused now. Wasn't this a dream? It felt real, but a lot of her dreams felt that way.

"When you wake up...go to the surface. .There will be a car waiting to bring you home." the woman instructed before she vanished into the darkness.

Evelyn woke up almost at once with a gasp for air. She was covered in cold sweat and was suddenly aware of how bright it was in the room. Was that dream real? Was Leonardo really in trouble? She sat up quickly and looked around the room. No one was here and she didn't hear anything from the main room. Whether the dream was real or not, there was a way that she could confirm it. If she went to the surface and a car was waiting, it meant that she wasn't imagining this. Without wasting any more time, she hopped down from where she slept and rushed towards the entrance without bothering to put on her shoes. Her hands were still bandaged from when she cut herself on the broken window, so it stung a little as she climbed the ladder to reach the surface. The manhole cover was a lot heavier than she thought it would be and even in her panic, she didn't seem able to budge it. Suddenly, the cover was removed by a young man in a suit. Evelyn stared up at him in shock, a little unsure sure how to explain the fact that she was trying to climb out of the sewers.

"Young miss, I'm here to pick you up." the man said simply as he reached down for her hand as an offer to help her up.

"...you...are the driver?" she asked in bewilderment. She hadn't even thought about how they knew where she was going to come out of. How did they know where she would be? How did they contact her while she was sleeping? She had also ran straight into them and she didn't even know if Leonardo was actually hurt. She suddenly felt like a complete moron now. Her worry and her haste had completely pushed out all rational thought from her mind.

"Yes I am, miss. We should get you home before the sun rises." the man replied as he urged for her hand once more.

Was it too late to back out? Was there anything that she could do in order to redeem her complete idiocy?  
"...How do I know that you guys really have Leo? " she asked, still refusing to take his hand.

The driver was silent for a moment before he reached into the breast of his suit and pulled out a phone. He tapped a few buttons and turned it so that she could see the screen. She could see security footage of a large lab where Leonardo was chained to a small bed and someone else sat in what looked like a glass box. She couldn't really make out who it was because the girl in the bow had her head down. Looking a little closer, it was clear that Leonardo was resting, but clearly hurt. This was probably still a bad decision, but if this would get Leonardo out of there, she wanted do everything she could. It was the least she could do for all of the Turtles and Master Splinter who had given her a home. Evelyn nodded her head now and offered her hand so he could help her up and take her to what they were calling her home.

"Your hands are hurt..." commented the driver as he gently pulled her up from the manhole, "the Master will be very upset about this."

"...you guys will let Leo go...if i go with you, right?" she asked, taking her hand from his quickly once she was safely standing on the surface.

"That is what I was told. The Master deeply regrets having to take a friend from you, but he does hope that you will understand."

"Yeah. He sounds like a real nice guy." she replied sarcastically. She hadn't a clue who this 'master' was, or how she had been asleep long enough for Leonardo to be taken and when did she even fall asleep?  
"...why do I only think about things _after_ I've done something stupid?" she muttered under her breath while she walked slowly towards the black town car that was parked at the end of the alley. There really wasn't any backing out now anyhow, but she was almost certain that she would regret this rash decision. Still, if it happened to help Leonardo, it would be worth it.  
Once she was inside the car, the driver set off and Evelyn slumped herself miserably against the leather seat.

"...I'm sorry guys..." she whispered to herself. The turtles would no doubt be angry with her for doing something like this. She could just see their reactions now. Donatello would probably groan in frustration, Leonardo would probably insist that she run off and save herself, Mikey would be sad, and Raphael would be calling her an idiot before he scooped her up and forced her to run away. Evelyn chuckled under her breath when she thought about how Raphael would react. He was going to be mad about this and she was uncertain how she could explain her reasons without making it seem like she was only doing this for Leo.  
Of course she was doing this for Leo, but it was for the rest of them as well. Leonardo was their brother and an important part of the family. She was doing this for the family that took her in and showed her so much kindness. She wanted to bring Leo back to his family and take responsibility for all the trouble she had brought down on them. She didn't like having to play the martyr, but because of her hasty actions, that's the path she was taking now. Raphael was right...she was an idiot.

 **A/N: Oh my gosh you guys! Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews! I'm so happy.  
This chapter was a little difficult for me to write because I love Leonardo so much, but it's all necessary. (Sorry Leo)  
I didn't get to the scenes that I wanted to because I didn't want to keep running on when a good stopping point arrived. So I'm sorry, but the Leo and Kairai moment will have to wait a little bit. Also, I really hope that you all caught the meaning in the difference I tried to show between Kairai and Eve.  
I admittedly kinda rushed her into that car, but hopefully it wasn't that bad.  
Also, I'm uploading this after I have already taken my allergy medication, so I'm a little drowsy. So if there are a million mistakes, please forgive me. I'll fix it later.  
**

 **I hope you all liked it and I will see you in the next Chapter!**


	18. O Brother Where Art Thou?

**Chapter Eighteen: O Brother where art thou?**

The Turtles had met up with April at the city Library to come up with a plan and take a look at the flash drive Karai had given them. April was eager to show them what she had found when Leonardo asked her to look up information about Christopher. They all settled in at a computer once they had broken in and April took the helm.

"So...at first I was worried the name was too common to find results, but as it turns out, there was a Christopher Saunders in the news recently. Look at this." April explained as she opened a news article featuring a large photograph of Christopher.

 _One of New York's oldest families finally returns to the city. The Saunders family was one of the first to settle in New York in the 1660's until a terrible house fire destroyed the family manor in 1870, taking the lives of Mr. Saunders and his wife Rebecca. The lone survivor was their only son of 21, Christopher, named after his father. After the fire, Christopher moved to London in order to return to school and continue the family business. Not much was heard about the Saunders family after that until another namesake returned to the city this year. After keeping up the family business overseas, one of the Saunders decedents decided it was time to return to New York. Christopher Saunders the 4th, named after his great-great grandfather who survived the fire of 1870, returned home today and announced he would rebuild the family Manor exactly as it was._

 _"My family loved this city and helped to build much of the industry here. I think it's time that to return home and pick up where my family left off. I want the Manor to be a symbol of pride like it used to be." said Christopher when he was interviewed this morning._

 _The Saunders family owned many hospitals back in the day and still hold a tight grip on the medical field. Christopher intends to follow in his families foot steps and build a brand new hospital in the middle of New York._

 _"We will be offering free medical care for the homeless and struggling families. We want to take care of the people in this city." - Christopher Saunders_

"So he's part of some rich family. So what?" said Raphael once he finished reading the article.

"Yeah, but did you read the part about free medical care?" April began, "...a lot of homeless have gone missing...but the police aren't doing much about it. Also...the address of the Manor is exactly the same as the one you guys were given in order to trade for Leonardo and Karai."

"So you think he's doing something with the missing people?" asked Donatello.

"Maybe. ...We don't know anything about this guy. Also...When I looked into it further, there isn't any mention of a girl in his family or girlfriend. So...I'm not really sure where Eve ties into all this." replied April.

"Not to mention that woman in black." added Raphael.

Donatello pulled the flash drive from his shell strap and sighed, "Well...maybe Karai has a little more insight on Evelyn."

April nodded and took the flash drive to check it's contents, once it was opened, a video began at once. It looked to be hidden camera footage that Karai had taken while she met with Christopher and the woman. They seemed to be in a hospital room, but there was blood splattered along the walls and trailed along the floor. Chris was busy shouting at a few doctors and kicking over a few machines. A couple young maids were dragging out a deceased young woman whose eyes had been scooped out. Her body was still twitching and she made a terrible gurgling noise as the maids dragged her from the room.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'SHE'S GONE?!'" Christopher demanded as he cornered the doctors.

"S-she attacked the ninja's...we-we couldn't keep up with her! There was a-a turtle..." one of the doctors stammered in fear as he attempted to explain what happened.

Christopher kicked the doctor in the gut and once he was down, the unhinged man continued to stomp against his chest in anger. "YOU WEREN'T WATCHING HER! I TOLD YOU TO-"

He was stopped finally by the cloaked woman as she placed her hand on his shoulder.  
"Relax Mr. Saunders. ...We still have the Foot Clan in our employ. They can search the city. ...after all...this is not the first time she has run away..."

Chris was staring down at the doctors body while the woman spoke with him. The other doctors were silently panicking as they watched their colleague struggle to stay alive as he choked on his own blood. Finally, Chris turned away from the doctors and his expression was that of complete devastation, "She-she doesn't mean to! She wouldn't leave me! It's not her fault!" he insisted with a shaky voice.

"Of course not," the woman began as she took Chris into her arms to comfort him, "she's just not herself yet. ...she loves you, she would never do this on purpose..." she reassured him as she stroked his hair gently.

"We'll find her. Don't worry, Mr. Saunders." Karai announced as she stepped forward, confirming that this footage must have been from a Footbot.

"Please hurry..." Christopher began as he pulled away from the cloaked woman and pleaded with Karai, "she's ill. ...she can't be out in the sun. ...If anything were to happen to her...I..." his voice trailed off and he took a deep breath, seemingly unable to continue.

As Rapheal watched this, he felt his stomach turn. This man was clearly insane and he was talking about how Eve loved him, but Raphael remembered the night she begged for help very clearly. She was scared. There was no way that Eve wanted to be around this crack pot.

"The Foot will find your sister. It should be an easy task." answered Karai.

With that, April paused the footage and everyone was silent for a moment.

"Sister?" repeated Donatello in shock.

"There was nothing about this guy having a sister. It said he was the last in the Saunders family line..." explained April.

In a way, Raphael was a little relieved. At the very least, this mad man wasn't her lover or some pervert that had kidnapped her. Though, it didn't make what he had put Eve through okay at all.

"Do you think that's why Eve attached herself to Leo?" speculated Donnie.

Everyone turned to look at him in confusion now. What did that have to do with any of this?

"W-well think about it. If...Eve had a brother already, even if she couldn't remember, she may have been drawn to Leo because he treated her like a sister and her subconscious found that comforting. Also...Leonardo has blue eyes, just like this Christopher Saunders." Donnie did hsi best to explain his passing thought. Though he was worried that Raph would smack him for talking about Eve's affection for Leonardo.

"But that doesn't mean Eve doesn't love us...right?" Mikey asked, feeling a little deflated after see all this. It felt like they were saying that Evelyn wasn't part of the family anymore.

"Of course not," Raphael said at once, "Eve is still one of us, and I'm sure you're still her favorite, Mikey." Raphael added with a mock annoyance. He knew how much Michelangelo cared about Eve, maybe even seeing her as a big sister. He could put his pride aside for a moment if it would make his little brother feel better.

Mikey's face seemed to brighten and he smiled before he looked at his wrist where the bite mark Eve made was slowly fading. He put his other hand over it and nodded his head. "Yeah..."

"Well...what do we do now?" asked April, "We have to get Leo and Karai out of there. ...this guy is bonkers. Who knows what he could do to them..."

Raphael and Donatello both seemed stymied by all this. They couldn't just give Eve up and assume this madman would keep his word, but they couldn't just sit back and hope that Leo would be able to get out on his own. There was also Karai to think about.

"I say we just go and rescue them." said Raphael finally, "we know where they are and if we could just find a way to get them out..."

"But this man is clearly unstable. He could seriously hurt them if he doesn't get what he wants." replied Donatello.

"I'll do it." April announced as she stood up from her seat, "We'll do what Mikey suggested earlier. I'll put on a wig and keep my head down, I can pretend to be Eve until we know where they are."

"No way!" Donatello insisted right away, "This guy is crazy! He might really hurt you!"

"Well what other options do we have?" asked April.

"Karai." said Donatello quietly after a moment of thought.

"What? She's in there too. How can she be an option?" Raphael asked.

"Exactly," began Donatello, "She's been _kidnapped._ What do you think Shredder will do when he finds out? He'll send footbots and maybe even his mutant henchmen to go and get her. We let Shredder know they took Karai and we wait until they rush in. While Christopher is busy with all that, we slip in through the chaos and get Leo and Karai out of there." The more he voiced his idea, the more confident Donnie became that it would work and from the looks on the others faces, they seemed to agree.

"That's perfect!" Raphael announced as he affectionately punched his brother on the shoulder.

While the Turtles fine tuned their plan to save their brother and sister from the Saunder's Manor, Evelyn was already taking action. Albeit, a rash and poor thought out action. She had been placed in a town car and was being driven to the Manor for a while now. How far was this place? It felt as if the drive was taking forever. Although, it could have been her nerves that stretched the time in her mind. She still had no real idea where she was being taken or if it would actually mean Leonardo would be set free. After what seemed like hours to Evelyn, the car finally stopped in front of a large mansion. She looked out the window to gaze up at the vast structure. The magnificent three story chateau was surrounded by stone fountains and beautiful trees that shadowed the manor from public view. Evelyn was examining the property as she was led from the car, up the stone steps, and to the large double doors. The driver pressed the intercom next to the doors and announced that he had brought her home. The doors were opened almost at once by two happy young maids.

"Welcome home, miss." they greeted together.

Evelyn seemed too stunned and anxious to speak. She merely regarded the servants with a frightened and confused expression as she did her best to move her feet. Her entire body felt heavy and somehow, walking into this mansion felt like she were about to step over a cliff.

 _"GIVE THEM BACK!"_ the screech of a woman echoed in Eve's mind and suddenly saw that same mangled woman from her vision crawling towards her from the bottom of the marble stairwell. She was crawling fast and with a rabid expression. Blood was dripping from her empty eye sockets as her twisted arms jerked over her neck to move faster. Evelyn screamed and quickly backed away before she stumbled on her own feet and fell back. The woman was moving so quickly that with her fall, there wasn't an escape.

"Young Miss! Are you okay?" asked one of the maids in concern, kneeling down to help Eve back to her feet.

"Get back! She's right-" Evelyn tried to push the maid and perhaps save her from the mangled woman, but when she looked back, the woman was gone and there was no trace of the blood that she was leaving behind.

"My goodness...you are white as a sheet, m'lady. Come now...let's get you to your room so that you can rest. It must have been awful in those sewers..." said the young maid gently as she and Evelyn got to their feet.

"Huh? ...no-wait. What about Leo? I came here to surrender myself so you guys would release him!" she insisted, still trying to compose herself after what she saw. That woman frightened her and she was almost sure that her heart would fly from her chest.

At her request, the maids exchanged a look of concern, as if they were not sure what to tell her.  
"Well..." one of the maids began, "The Master will be the one to release your friend. ...but you can't see him like this. He'll want you cleaned up first. So if you would just allow us to have you washed and dressed...we can take you to him. He'll be so happy to see you."

Were they insane? She didn't want to take a shower and change while her friend was being hurt and locked up. "No," Eve replied at once, "take me to see him right now. I'm not doing anything else until Leonardo is let out!"  
She was a little nervous about making demands, but it was clear in how they were treating her that they didn't intend to hurt her. In fact, she seemed rather important to them. Perhaps that meant she had a little leverage here. The maids seemed disappointed, but they nodded their heads and led her down a large hallway lined with artwork. This hallway only led to one room and when they opened the carved chestnut doors, a large study was revealed with Christopher sitting behind a polished mahogany desk. Everything there looked so grand and almost over the top that Eve felt horribly out of place.

When Christopher looked up from his work, his bright sapphire eyes fixed on Evelyn at once and he quickly scrambled from behind his desk to rush at her with open arms. Evelyn seized up when the strange man wrapped his arms around her slender frame, unsure what to do or say.

"Michelle! You're home!" He announced happily, his voice cracking a little.

"M...Michelle?" she repeated quietly.

Christopher released her and held her shoulders at arms length. His eyes seemed to shine as he looked her over. "Yes. Your name is Michelle...my dear, sweet little sister..." he explained with a trembling voice, "I know your confused right now...but soon...you'll remember everything and we can be happy again."

Evelyn didn't exactly feel overly emotional about any of this, but she felt tears running down her cheeks. She reached up to her face to confirm it and to her surprise, she was actually crying. Why? She wasn't sad and she wasn't happy. Christopher smiled and pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket. He reached over and dried her eyes tenderly. Eve was a little confused and although this might be who she actually was, she couldn't forget why she came here.

"I-I came here like you asked. ...You'll let Leo go now?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even so they wouldn't think she was nervous. She had to feign confidence here. Showing weakness might make them think they could walk all over her. Though the crying probably didn't help.

"Oh! Oh, of course! Whatever you want." Christopher agreed happily as he straightened himself back up and snapped his fingers. A few more maids rushed into the room and bowed their heads a little. "Release that thing in the basement." he ordered.

Evelyn made a quick note about the basement in her mind and decided to take a chance and ask for something else, hoping that she was not pressing her luck. "I want to see him before you let him out."

"Those things have dirtied you enough. You don't need to worry about creatures like that." he replied quickly.

"Please?" Eve tried again.

Christopher looked at his little sister in silence for a moment or two. It was difficult for him to deny her anything, but he didn't want her to have anything more to do with mutants like that.  
"...after you see him...will you clean yourself up...and stay home?" he asked.

"Yes. I promise! ...I just want to say goodbye..." replied Evelyn.

Christopher said nothing at first, but when he nodded a little at the maids, they proceeded to lead Eve from the room and guide her towards the basement. As they walked through the vast manor, Eve made sure to memorize the paths they were taking. In case she had to come back here or escape. She had no idea what staying here really meant and if she was really that mans little sister, but at the very least, she was going to get Leo out. She was led down a large, dark stairwell until they reached a large steel door. Evelyn took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she might see and for the goodbye she was dreading. However, once the door was opened, Evelyn lost all composure.

In plain sight, chained to the bed at the end of the room, was a battered Leonardo. She could see the burns on his leg that the gash marks that were lined along his left side. Eve pushed past the maids quickly and ran over to the bedside. Karai noticed her entrance and almost like a knee jerk reaction, she stood up and pressed her hands against the walls of her prison. She was about to warn the girl not to touch him, but when she identified her as the Turtles new friend, the young ninja calmed herself a bit.

"Leo! ...Oh my god...what did they do to you...?" Evelyn asked aloud as she looked down at the turtles body; afraid to touch him.

"Miss...we can unlock him." a maid offered as she approached Eve with a key.

"I'll do it! Leave it and get out!" Evelyn shouted. She was trying to keep from crying, but angry tears gripped at the edge of her eyes when she turned her head to glare at the maid.

Both maids bowed a little and left the key on a small table before leave the room. Once the door was closed, Evelyn rushed over to snatch the key before returning to Leo's side. She looked him over once more in a silent panic as her eyes began to water.

"L-Leo?" she began quietly, leaning over a little so that she could see his face, "...Leo! Leonardo!" When the turtle wouldn't wake or respond, Evelyn's panic began to become far more fear based, "Wake up! ...Please..."

"He's not dead." Karai snapped, wondering when Eve would notice she was here.

Evelyn flinched and turned to see Karai in her plastic prison. At first she wasn't sure who it was, but quickly remembered her face from that night in the gardens.  
"...They got you too...?"

"No shit. ...Leo's not dead. They gave him morphine...so he's pretty out of it. Let him sleep." replied Karai irately.

Evelyn nodded her head, but she still didn't want him all chained up. She leaned over a little more so that she could reach the far ends of his shackles. Once she had unchained the Turtle, she gripped the key in her hands and walked over to Karai's plastic cell.  
"...You're Karai...right?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah. You gonna get me out of here too?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at Evelyn with an even expression. She didn't really feel any special way about the girl. She didn't hate her, but she didn't love her either.

Eve was silent for a while as she silently examined the plastic cell. Her feeling's of envy aside, there was no way she would be petty enough to let Karai sit in a cage. Still, there didn't seem to be a key or anything. How did they get her in there in the first place? She didn't answer the question, but she turned around and immediately starting to look for something that might help to break Karai out. This might have been her only chance to talk with Karai, but she didn't know how much time she had before they wondered why she was taking so long. No doubt someone was waiting outside to carry Leo off and return him, but it was clear they wanted to keep Karai. She had to help. It took a couple minutes of frantic searching before she saw something that looked like a drill with a serrated blade attached. Evelyn scooped it up and turned it on, happy to find out that it was cordless and ready to go.

"This might work." Evelyn announced as she pressed the blade against the edge and began her attempt to get Karai out. The blade made a lot more noise once it began to cut through the plastic and it made Eve far more anxious than before.

"I don't need too much! Just hurry!" insisted Karai as she watched Evelyn cut through the plastic slowly.

Evelyn got a little irked when Karai began to rush her. It's not like this was easy. She was trying to cut a straight line about knee length near the bottom, hoping that Karai would be able to crawl out easily. She was too afraid of cutting near her face just in case something went wrong. Karai was anxious now too. She need to get out of here and cut some throats, so once she saw that there was enough room, she smiled.

"Stop! That's enough!" she exclaimed.

Eve stopped, but when she looked at the hole she made, it didn't seem big enough. She looked up at Karai to question her, but was stunned into silence when Karai turned into large serpent and quickly slithered through the hole.

"Huh." was all Evelyn could manage as she turned the drill off.

Karai didn't bother to change back. She was faster this way after all. Instead, she coiled her tail around Leonardo to make sure that she had him securely in her grip before she turned for the door.

"Wait!" Evelyn pleaded as she rushed to stop her. Karai stopped, but didn't look as if there was much patience for this. Evelyn stood in front of her and looked back at the steel door. "Once you go up the stairs, there is a long hallway without any windows. If you make a left, it leads to room with some windows...you can escape through there." Karai nodded her head with a soft hiss, but Evelyn had one more thing to add and it was clearly aching at her heart. Evident when a few tears began to run down her cheeks.  
"A-and...tell Leonardo...and the others...goodbye for me. ...Please...?" she asked Karai with a shaky voice. Karai didn't know her and she didn't know Karai, but she had to trust that this snake girl may do this one thing for her.

Karai nodded again in silence before she quickly burst through the door and made sure to use her snake arms to bite and knock the maids waiting by the stairs against the walls. Eve was left alone in the room, but it only took a moment for her to run after Karai. She didn't intend to stop her, she just wanted to make sure that she would make it out safely. However, as she attempted to follow the Snake girl, she proved much too fast for Evelyn and it was only when she heard a loud crashing of glass that a relief washed over her. Karai had done what she was asked and escaped through the window. She was in the windowless hallway when several more maids and butlers ran towards the room to check on the commotion, but that seemed to be in a little blur for Eve. Now that the adrenaline of saving them had gone away, she was left the reality that this was her home now. Running away might result in another hostage situation and make the turtles a target again. She looked down at the floor and saw that Leo's mask had fallen off while Karai was helping him to get away. Evelyn knelt down and gently picked up the dirtied mask in her hands. She smiled just a little and let the last few tears fall along her cheeks. This was the right thing to do and in the end, she was finally able to repay all the turtles a little for what they had done for her. The mask in her hands and the fading bite mark on her wrist was really all she had to remember them now.

"Sorry Raph...Donnie. ...I don't have anything from the two of you..." she began quietly, "...or Splinter...or April. ...I should have...I should have remembered to take a few things..."

"MICHELLE!" Christopher shouted as he ran in a panic towards her along the hallway. Once he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "They told me that thing got out! Did it hurt you?! Are you okay?" he asked in wild concern, refusing to release her from the embrace.

Eve was silent as he held her. She didn't like being called Michelle and she didn't know this man at all. Her name was Evelyn. Still, this was her home now. A home with iron bars.  
"She didn't hurt me. I'm fine." she replied finally.

Christopher exhaled in relief and released her. "Good. ..I was worried. Now, let them take you to your room and clean you up. Your room is exactly as you left it. I'll be up in a few minutes to help you settle in..." he said gently as he placed his hand at her back to softly guide her towards two eagerly waiting maids. If Eve was paying attention, she might have noticed that these maids were identical to the ones that Karai had knocked out, but she was a little drained at the moment. She did as she was told and followed the girls as they climbed the marble staircase.

While Evelyn was heading to her old bedroom, Karai was slithering quickly through a small forest that encircled the massive manor. Luckily, she had been here before and knew just where to go. As she darted through the trees and brush, Leonardo groaned and began to stir a little. Karai stopped at once and quickly uncoiled her tail around Leo to set him down on some leave gently. She returned to her human form and kneeled down beside him to make sure that she had not hurt him further.

Leonardo opened his eyes slowly and though it was blurry at first, his vision slowly focused and revealed Karai's face. At first he worried that he was dreaming, but he was in too much pain for that to be true.

"Karai...?" he began, "where...?"

"Quiet." she insisted at once with a smirk, "We're out. ...but you're still pretty banged up. So you should try not to move or anything. You're lucky I was gracious enough to save you." she joked now, just glad to see that he was okay.

"How did you get us out?" he asked. It wasn't that he wasn't relieved, but they were both pretty defenseless in there.

Karai considered telling him about Eve, but thought that he might insist on going back to save her and he was in no fit state to go and do anything, let alone rescue someone. In the end, she opted for a lie.  
"Well, I don't know about you, but I happen to be pretty good."

Leonardo was confused, but stranger things had happened. He didn't exactly have the energy to question it further. He was just glad that she didn't seem hurt. In fact, seeing her face when he woke up was a great relief. He didn't say anything as he reached up with his uninjured arm and pressed his palm to her cheek as he looked up at her.

His hand was cold, but Karai could feel her cheek heat up a little. She watched as he was stabbed and burned and he still seemed more concerned about her than himself. She lied to him about Eve and had repeatedly tried to hurt his master and brothers, but this boy scout still seemed to believe in her. When they first met, he was interesting. She could match him in sword fighting and when they would flirt as they fought, it was fun, but somewhere along the line, she was forced to admit that she actually had a soft spot for him. The fact that he was a giant Turtle was never really an issue for her, but he was part of the Hamato family and they were her fathers enemy. So playing around as they fought was all she could really do.  
After tonight however, after seeing him cut and singed by fire, she was a little more than shaken by it. It could have easily been the last time she saw him alive. Without a word between them now, Karai placed her hand over his and leaned down to press her lips against his.

 **A/N: And so! A part of Evelyn's real identity is revealed! (Or is it...?)  
For those of you that were waiting to see Karai fight her way out, don't worry, because she will display her bad assery very soon. (in a big way)  
** **Sorry for the long chapter. I wanted to fit all this in here before I moved on.**

 **I want to thank you all again for the wonderful reviews you have been leaving me.**  
 **I changed my spelling of Karai's name. (thanks for telling me)**

 **That was a little difficult for me, because I was so used to spelling it the other way that I frequently had to had to catch myself and change it. lol  
My life is about to get very busy in the next few days, so please forgive me if the next chapter is a little late. I'll do my best to post it as soon as I can.  
I love you all and please let me hear more of your thoughts.  
How do you feel about Evelyn?  
What are your theories about what she might be?  
I love to hear your thoughts about everything! See you in the next chapter! **


	19. The Calm before the War

**Chapter Nineteen: The calm before the War.**

The turtles had returned to the lair in order to prepare to set their plan into motion. Michelangelo was running ahead of the rest so that he could be the first to check in on Evelyn, but when he arrived in the main room, he gasped in shock to see Leonardo resting on the couch with Master Splinter sitting by his side. He dashed for his brother and the others did the same when they caught sight of Leonardo.

"LEO!" they all shouted in unison when they arrived at his side.

"Hey guys..." he greeted with a weak smile. He was still in a lot of pain and it really made him wish that Karai had stolen him some of that morphine from the lab. Splinter had already wrapped his wounds and cleaned him up. His mask had been replaced and even though he was still worse for wear, he looked rather comfortable on the couch.

"What happened? What did they do to you?" Donatello asked.

Leo chuckled a little, "we can talk about that later..." he insisted.

Splinter glanced at his children as he stood up, "We are fortunate that Leonardo have been returned to us...but I have unfortunate news as well..." started with a solemn tone.

Almost the second that he caught his fathers tone of voice, he began to panic and made a mad dash for Donatello's lab without another word. With the great relief of having his brother back, he didn't even consider the fact that something terrible might have been exchanged for it. He pushed the doors to the lab open and caught the horrible sight of the empty room.

"No, no, no, no!" he repeated in a desperate attempt at denial as he frantically searched the room.

"Raph! Raph, calm down!" Donatello pleaded as he entered the room, only to see his brother flipping over a desk, as if he would find her there. Donnie grabbed his brother from behind and pulled him back a little. "Raph! She's not here!" Donatello shouted sadly.

Raphael panted to catch his breath as he slowly began to calm down. None of this made sense. Eve didn't even know about the kidnapping and she was still unconscious when they left. Did she hear them talking? How had he messed this up? They could have gotten everyone back and everything would have been okay. Why did Eve have to do something so stupid?  
Once Raphael seemed calm enough, Donatello released him.

"Don't worry Raph...we know where she is and they don't have Leo anymore. ...so we might be able to get her back quickly..." Donnie did his best to soothe his brother, but he was worried too. Evelyn was a good friend and she spent a lot of time in here letting him vent about April and Casey. They had a lot of questions for Leonardo about how he got out, but he needed to rest and they had to regroup.

It took some time, but after they had indeed regrouped and made sure that everyone was on the same page, the lair was completely silent.  
Mikey had shut himself in his room, Donatello was in the lab with April, and Raphael was sitting at Leo's bedside while Master Splinter brewed a remedy for his injured son. Leonardo had only been conscious long enough to catch up on what was going on, but he agreed that they had to go and get Eve back. He certainly didn't want her to be cut up like he was. He could only thank the heavens that Karai had not been harmed while she was there. He knew he wasn't in any condition to go and help, but he wanted to at least help them come up with a plan. Master Splinter helped his son to take the remedy and after a moment or two to make sure that he had swallowed it all, he left to go and get some rest.

"Did that help at all?" Raphael asked once his brother made a slight grimace.

"It tasted like something Mikey would dig out of the trash..." mumbled Leonardo.

Raphael chuckled a little before he let out a exhausted sigh and rested his arms on his knees.  
"You didn't see Eve at all...huh?" he asked quietly as he stared down at the floor.

"No..." began Leo, "Karai told me that she got us out. ...so I guess she lied to me. I had no idea that Evelyn had even showed up. I must have been out."

"I should have been watching her. ...Or at least made sure that she didn't hear us. I knew that if she found out _you_ were taken she would go after you without thinking..." replied Raphael in a kind of bitter sadness.

"You know that she would have come for any one of us." corrected Leonardo.

Raphael sighed again, but this time at his own attitude, "Yeah...I know. Ugh...I'm just...-"

"I know." chimed in Leonardo so that Raphael didn't have to finish. He knew how much he cared for Eve and that it was a little hard for him to express his emotions and even harder to deal with them internally. He really couldn't relate to how it must have felt to see the girl you like crush on one of your own brothers, but it wasn't something he hoped to understand either.  
"Evelyn is a sweet girl...and we all want her back. ...I just wish I could help..."

Raphael smiled a little and rose from his seat, "I can handle this. We all know I'm the better fight anyhow..." he joked, hoping to ease his brothers mind a bit.

While the Turtles and April dealt with the fact that Evelyn had exchanged herself, Eve was settling in at her new home. The mansion was vast and mostly empty when it came to people. It seemed that Christopher and that cloaked woman were the only ones that lived there beside all the servants that she saw wandering around.

First, she was taken to the bath and forced to bath in front of a maid. Her 'brother' didn't seem to trust that she wouldn't run off and so he insisted that she be watched at all times. It was a little unsettling, but at the very least he wasn't the one watching her. After she was washed up and they gave her something to change into, she was brought to her bedroom. It was so strange for her to see all these things and be told that they belonged to her. When she walked into what was supposed to be her bedroom, it only made her miss the sewers. Her new room was large, a wooden vanity table against the wall, a queen sized canopy bed, and a walk in closet full of expensive dresses. She sat herself down at the edge of her bed and stared at her lap.  
She didn't care about all of the clothes and expensive things...all she wanted was to be back where she felt at home. She felt rather empty here without the turtles. The maid that had been asigned to her was busy tying a red ribbon into her raven curls.

"The master will be so pleased to have that wretched sewer smell washed away. He's been waiting for some time to see you and he was very upset when you appeared to be so filthy. Those horrible monsters should have taken better care of you." commented the maid as she finished with her hair.

"They are not monsters." snapped Eve quietly.

The maid seemed to completely ignore her as she headed for the door, "We should go and present you to the Master now. He will be so happy."

"I don't feel like seeing anyone..." replied Eve in annoyance. She was gripping Leo's mask in her hands and her thoughts were full of nothing but the Turtles back home.

"But...the master will be disappointed if he doesn't see you before bed. ...he..."

"I don't care!" shouted Evelyn, causing the maid to flinch a little, "Please...just leave me alone for a little while. I...I want to get some sleep..."

"At night? ...but...you usually..." began the maid, "...if you'll just see the master..."

There wasn't much time for Evelyn to reply before the door swung open and her supposed brother came inside to see her. He looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. It had been a very long time since he saw his sister as she used to be. In her lovely dresses and her hair tied back a little in her silk crimson ribbon.

"You look beautiful..." he greeted in awe.

Evelyn looked at him with a blank stare for a while before she was able to think of anything to say. In truth, he made her feel very uncomfortable. It was the way he looked at her, none of the Turtles looked at her like that. Still, she decided to play nice so that she wouldn't end up like Leonardo. In fact, just thinking about what he had done to Leonardo made her so angry that it took all she had not to strangle this man.

"...Thank you..." she struggled to reply.

"It's so nice to see you like this again. ...You never belonged in the sewers. You have always belonged-"

"This was my home?" she interrupted, not really interested in anything this man had to say about the sewers or the turtles that she loved so much.

Chris smiled and stepped over to her and took her hands in his.  
"Michelle...you are my sister. My dear sweet, little sister. You belong here with me. Are you afraid to sleep alone? You can sleep with me if you want..."

"No." she answered at once as she ripped her hands from his. Just being touched by him made her skin crawl.

He looked hurt by this, but he tried to rally and make the best of it.  
"...O-okay. ...but...how about we go out to the gardens?" he asked in a desperate attempt to salvage the night.

Evelyn wasn't sure if she was supposed to pretend that she remembered anything and he seemed so upset with her now. All she wanted to do right now was give Mikey a great big hug. He was the only one that could make her feel better right now. She couldn't remember the last time that he had made her smile and just that fact made her homesick.  
"...Actually...I'm just a little overwhelmed from today. I need a little sleep..."

Christopher took a small breath and tried to smile, "Of course. ...you have had a very long day. I will...see you in the morning..." he said in a shaky voice, trying not to seem upset with her. He quickly pulled her into an embrace and held her gently. Eve really didn't like it at all. Hugging wasn't the same and she really didn't feel any love in it at all. The turtles were giant reptiles, but there was so much warmth in their embraces, but she felt cold when this man hugged her. Chris let her go and kissed her forehead before he rose to his feet and headed for the door.

Once he was finally gone, Evelyn actually took a breath and was very relieved to be alone. She could feel her eyes burn a little as it all began to settle in. Nothing about this room was familiar and it didn't feel like it was something she would ever remember. Leonardo's mask was still in her hands and even though she had gotten him out, she still felt as though this was all her fault. Hopefully, Karai had gotten him back home safely.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered as she gently gripped his mask in her hands. Even if she had a chance to learn more about her old self, her mind was filled with the Turtles. Were they okay? Eating well? Was Mikey upset with her? In the end, all she could do was sigh and try to get a little sleep.

Though it took Eve much longer to fall asleep than usual, when she was finally able to drift off, she found herself dreaming of a garden. She was standing in front of a large pond in the middle of the night. She could see the stars reflected in the water and as she looked around, she was relieved to see that no one else was around. Eve didn't want to see that mangled woman again; even if this was only a dream.

"Eve?!" came a voice from behind. A voice that she recognized to be Raphael's.

Evelyn quickly turned around to see the hot tempered turtle staring at her in disbelief. Was she dreaming him?

"Raphael...?" she started quietly before she took a step forward.

Though Eve was trying to cautiously approach him, Raphael dashed over to her and quickly scooped her up into his arms. She gasped as he held her against his shell.

"R-raphael! I can't breath!" she shouted in a short gasp for breath.

"My bad!" Raphael replied quickly as he released her.

The two stared at one another in silence for a moment or two, perhaps both wondering if the other was really there or they were dreaming. Evelyn fixed her eyes on Raphael and decided that even if she were dreaming him, it didn't matter. She was just so happy to see him.

"I am probably dreaming...but I am so glad you're okay..." she said quietly.

"I don't think this is exactly a dream," replied Raphael as he reached out and placed his hand against her cheek, "it's a lot like when we were together in your mind. ...when we kissed." he added.

Eve blushed slightly, but she didn't inch away from his hand. Instead, she leaned her cheek in a bit more and put her hand over his own.  
"...if that's true...I am very glad. I've missed you all so much already. I know it's only been a day..."

"Why did you leave?" he asked desperately. Though he was glad to be reunited in soem way, she was still out of his reach. She was with the man that hurt his brother and now he had Evelyn trapped.

"I'm sorry. ...I saw that Leonardo was being hurt...and they said if I gave myself up...they would let him go. They did...but now...if I leave...they might go after all of you again and use you as bait." she explained.

"You should have waited. ...none of us would have traded you. We could have gotten Leo out and saved you both." insisted Raphael.

The fact that they all wanted to keep her with them made Eve smile. They were all so much like family and no matter what, she did want to go back to them.  
"...is Leo okay? ...when I saw him...he was..."

"He's pretty banged up, but he'll be fine. ...did they hurt you?"

"No..." replied Eve as she pulled away from Raphael's hand, "I'm fine. I have a lot to tell you...but I don't know how long this dream will last."

"What? You wanna do something other than talking?" Raphael asked with a smirk.

Now Eve was sure this wasn't a normal dream. Only Raphael would joke like that around her. This might be the last time she would be able to talk with him so at the very least she shouldn't waste her words.

"I like Leonardo." she said at once, looking Raphael in the eyes as she spoke, "You already knew that I'm sure...but...I never said it out loud. ...You did me the favor of being honest with me, so the least I can do is say it. I-"

Raphael placed his hand over Eve's mouth before she could say any more.  
"Are you _trying_ to hurt me?" he asked simply, keeping her mouth covered as she shook her head, "I already know that you care for Leo, but that doesn't mean I want to hear you say it."

Evelyn pulled his hand away from her face, "Would you let me finish?" she asked in annoyance, "...what I meant by all of that is...well..."

As her voice trailed off, Eve leaned up and kissed Raphael on the cheek. The turtle found his cheeks heating up as her lips touched his skin. She didn't normally do this on her own. When she leaned back, Raphael turned his face a little so that she wouldn't see him blush.

"I wanted to tell you that I may not be over Leonardo right now. ...and I don't know when I'll forget about him, but I do take you seriously. I just..can't forget him that easily." she explained, not sure exactly where she was going with all this. It sounded a lot better in her head, but the moment the words came out of her mouth, they didn't seem to make sense at all. She ran her hand through her hair a little and sighed, "I-uh...I'm not sure I explained that properly. Um...what I mean is, I just...I didn't want you to think I only did this because I like Leo. I did it because you are all so important to me and I love all of you and I-" as she stumbled over her words quickly in a nervous manner, Raphael decided to end her rant.

He placed his hand at the base of her back and he pulled her in to wrap his arms around her waist before he leaned down and captured her lips with his own. All that talk about Leonardo aside, she did say that she was taking him seriously and just that was enough to cause a chill run along his spine. She was adorable as she was rambling and he simply couldn't help himself. Perhaps they should have been using this time to talk about more important things or exchange information, but he honestly just wanted to hold her right now. She hadn't even been gone that long, but he missed her terribly and from what she said, she had missed them just as much.

Evelyn was surprised when he kissed her so suddenly and perhaps it was the act of leaving them all earlier that day, but she felt comforted by his embrace. After all this, Raphael still cared about her? It was a little hard to believe and she felt bad for all the trouble that she was always putting him through. Still, she gently leaned into his arms before she pulled her head back to break his kiss. With a bright red blush laced across her face, she glanced up into his emerald eyes without a word.

Raphael smiled a little, just glad that she wasn't freaking out or ripping herself away from his arms completely.  
"Wait for us, okay? I promise...we will get you out there. Just hang on..." Raphael said softly as he stared back into her hazel eyes, "I will get you back..."

Evelyn felt her eyes burn a little and her heart beat steadily against her chest. She believed Raphael when he promised these things and she knew that it wasn't just because he liked her, it was because they were friends. She just didn't want any of them to be hurt.  
"...just promise me...that you will be careful? ...Christopher...is dangerous..."

Raphael smiled confidently, "No worries. I'm looking forward to slamming his face into the wall." he announced with a chuckle.

Evelyn giggled just a bit, but her laugh was short lived when she saw Raphael beginning to vanish. He was slowly becoming transparent and she could no longer feel the warmth of his arms as they held her.

"Wh-what's happening?" she asked in a panic as she tried to grab his shell, but failed since her hands seemed to go right through him.

Raphael frowned and looked his own body over, trying in vain to grab Eve's hand.  
"I don't know! But don't panic!" he insisted, "Just wait for us okay?! We _will_ get you out of there. I promise!" he shouted as his body and voice vanished into the air and left Evelyn all alone in the garden.

She stared at the empty space where Raphael used to be and instead of panicking as she usually would, she actually began to laugh as tears gripped at her eyes. She felt so relieved. Maybe she wouldn't have to be here very long at all and she couldn't deny how much she wanted to go home.

Back at the Lair, Raphael could feel someone shaking him and calling his name faintly. When he opened his eyes, Donatello was leaning over him with a worried expression as he called for his brother and shook his shoulders gently.

"Why are you freaking out?" Raphael asked while his vision focused on the gap toothed turtle.

"You passed out!" Donatello announced in a small panic. "You were just standing there when you lost consciousness all of a sudden. Are you okay? Do you feel dizzy?"

Raphael was silent while Donatello questioned him. Had Eve done something in order to contact him? In any case, he felt fine and as long as he got to speak with Eve, he didn't care how it happened. He placed his hand on his brothers shoulder and sighed a bit, "I'm fine. Don't worry about it." he insisted, "how long was I out?"

"Uh, not long. Just a few minutes. Still, we should probably figure out why-"

"-I think I know why," Raph interrupted as he got to his feet, "get Mikey so that we can all talk. We are gonna go and get Eve back. Tomorrow."

Donatello didn't question Raphael any further about his fainting spell, but it didn't mean that he was planning on letting it go. With everything that was going on, it seems there was a lot more when Mikey joined them and Raphael explained what he promised Evelyn. Mikey didn't seem to have any expression on his face as Raphael spoke. In truth, there was a strange pit in his stomach knowing that Evelyn and Raphael had communicated through a dream. Why just Raphael? It took a while for them to formulate a plan and they all agreed that the simpler the better. After all, these people were unpredictable and strange. If they could do this quickly and quietly, it would be better for all of them.

Raphael wanted to leave at once, but since they all agreed this should be done in the daylight, he was forced to stay home for the time being. If they attacked during the day, it would be harder to get Eve out without hurting her, but they might not be expecting them to do that. So once the morning came, he could make good on his promise with Evelyn and bring her back home.

 **A/N: My goodness! I'm sorry that this chapter took so long. I am currently in Europe and I'm still trying to shake my jet lag. Dude! It stinks!**

 **Anyhow. This chapter was a little rushed, simply because I kinda wanted to get through it. I mean, I really want to write the scene where Karai goes full on bad ass on all of the bad guys. She is fun. Also, I have been drawing a lot of pictures for this and I just kinda lose myself when drawing them. :P  
Hope you all will forgive how late this one was and I'll see you in the next chapter! BYE! **


	20. Turtles in the Dark

**Chapter Twenty: Turtles in the Dark**

Splinter and Leonardo had been chanting most of the night in order to help him heal faster and despite the fact that he had taken it from Raphael in fear and that it was dangerous, Leonardo was going back and forth with the idea of taking a bit of the black substance in order to heal. He wanted so much to help and get Eve back. She was very much like a little sister to him and he was always worried when the team went on a mission without him. Especially considering the fact that Raphael had very little sleep that night and Mikey seemed a tad out of sorts since they discussed Evelyn last night.

Donatello was working with April in the lab to prepare for the mission today. They were trying to create a cover for Eve so that she could escape during the daytime without being touched by the sunlight. Mikey had been sitting in the Lab with them and watching as they worked. He wasn't sure how this would go, but his mind was set on seeing Eve again and bringing her home so that he could make her smile again.

"Aren't you guys done yet?" Raphael asked impatiently as he stood in the labs doorway.

"Stop rushing me!" Donatello insisted as he and April pulled out a strange looking umbrella that they had clearly modified in some way.

"She's already been there a whole night! I just want to get her out of there." Raphael replied quickly.

"Well we have been working most of the night and I think we are all ready to go." April announced, "We made a lot more smoke bombs and made sure to check all the gadgets."

Raphael nodded his head, just happy to see that everything was just about ready to go. He had already packed most of what they might need into the shell raiser and he was very anxious to get Evelyn back. Considering what happened to Leonardo, they all had to be very careful on this mission. It didn't take them too long to finish all the preparations and pack up the last of their weapons into the vehicle.

"Are you all sure you know what to do?" Leonardo asked his brothers as they were about to leave.

"Don't worry, Leo. We planned everything and according to the blue prints of the mansion, we should be able to get in and out easily." Donatello replied, "we just have to find Eve and get her out as quickly as we can."

"...you guys really need to be careful. ...these people are dangerous." warned Leonardo.

His brothers nodded their heads and participated in a high three before heading for the van. They were trying to be positive about all this, but each one knew just how dangerous this might end up being. Taking the back roads to the house, they didn't intend to simply drive up. Parking a fair distance from the actual residence, the turtles left in pairs to make their way through the forest that surrounded the mansion. April went with Donnie and Mikey left with Raphael to head for the mansion in opposite directions. The forest was rather dense, but seeing that they didn't have any problems so far, their hopes were rather high.

"Do you think Eve is hurt?" Mikey asked in a hushed voice as he and Raphael zig-zagged through the trees.

"Don't worry." replied Raphael simply, never taking his eyes from the path in front of them, "she's tougher than she looks."

Michelangelo wasn't sure what to think right now. Even as they made their way towards Evelyn, he had this horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was as if something was telling him to turn back, but that was the last thing he wanted to do. Evelyn was just up ahead somewhere and he wanted more than anything to see her again. He did his best to ignore the horrible feeling and simply push forward.

As the Turtles and April approached the Mansion, Evelyn was sitting at the large dining table alone. She hadn't seen Christopher since last night and even the maids that he had watching her were no where to be found. Despite the single maid that woke her up, dressed her, and brought her to breakfast, she hadn't seen anyone else. They had dressed Eve in a crimson Victorian gown, laced with black ribbon and tied her raven curls back with that same silk ribbon. Everything here was so extravagant and under different circumstances, she might have been happier to spend a night here.

"Where is Chris...?" Evelyn asked finally as she pushed the plate of food away. It's not as though she wanted to see him, she was simply suspicious of his absence.

"The Master is resting. He is preparing for tonight. You hardly ate anything at all...are you not hungry?" replied the young maid simply as she took the plate from the table.

"What's tonight...?" asked Eve, completely disregarding her question.

"The new moon. It is a very special night. Soon, you will be your old self again, my lady." the maid explained with a smile, as if Eve was supposed to be just as excited for tonight as she seemed.

Evelyn stared at the table in silence. Her old self? Did she want that? All this time she did wonder who she used to be, but was she ready to simply let Evelyn die and become someone else, become...Michelle? Also, what that mean for her and the turtles? Would they still be friends or would she no longer care for them? There was just too much to consider.  
Eve stood up from her seat and turned for the door, "...I'm going to go for a walk outside..." she said simply before the maid reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"I'm sorry, but your brother has insisted that you stay inside. After all, it's the middle of the day. You could hurt yourself." insisted the young maid.

"Hurt myself...? ...How so?" she asked, suddenly interested.

"I will take it from here." said the cloaked woman as she entered the dining hall. She was no longer wearing a hood, but her body was completely covered in her cloak. Her scarred face alarmed Eve a little, but she wasn't scared of the woman.

"Who are you?" Evelyn asked, getting a little annoyed with all the surprises here.

The cloaked woman smiled and knelt down in front of Evelyn, "My name Carling and I am here to serve you. I have been in your families service for a very long time and I am so pleased to see you back home again..."

"Why can't I go out in the sun?" asked Evelyn at once. She was so tired of the cryptic answers that only led to more questions, "I want to know who I was before all this...new moon stuff."

Carling stood up and offered a gloved hand to Evelyn, "I will explain everything to you. Please follow me."

"No," Eve insisted, "I just want some answers!"

Carling frowned and without a chance to say another word, Evelyn felt a sharp pain at back of her neck. Eve took in a sharp breath and turned around to see a young maid holding a very large syringe. Her sight instantly became fuzzy and her body went limp only to be caught up by Carling.

"Sorry about this, my lady." Carling said evenly before a terrified Eve lost complete consciousness in her arms.  
"Take her upstairs. It's getting late...and we seem to have a few unwanted guests outside." With that; a few more identical maids took the unconscious Evelyn from Carling and carried her carefully from the room to bring her upstairs.

As Evelyn was being hauled away, the Turtles were still making their way to her amongst the trees. Donatello was helping April up into a tree so that the red head could rest and catch her breath. It felt as if they had been running for hours and they didn't seem any closer to the main house. The entire forest had been covered in a thick fog in the last few minutes and so the pair thought it would be a good idea to get a little higher and take a quick rest.

"What does the GPS say? Are we almost there?" asked April as she rested her back against the tree.

Donatello pulled out his T-phone and began to fiddle around with it, but quickly got annoyed and started to shake it a little.

"I have no idea. My phone isn't working and neither are the other machines. ...maybe we are too far out? Or...the fog is somehow-"

"What are you doing up there?" asked a little girl, interrupting Donatello and alarming the two.

April and Donatello flinched and quickly looked down into the fog to see a little girl at the base of the tree. She had short raven curls and a red ribbon in her hair that matched her crimson colored dress. She looked to only be about seven or eight years old and she was not put off at all over the large turtle in the tree. Donnie was at a loss for what to do, but April smiled and leaned over a little to address the little girl.

"We are just...um, trying to find our way to the mansion. Do you know the way?" April asked cheerfully, hoping not to alarm the girl.

"You are coming over to my house? Are you coming over to play?!" the little girl asked happily.

"Uh...um-yeah! Of course! We just got lost." April replied.

The little girl began to laugh and ran from the tree into the dense fog. April watched as the girl ran off and she panicked a little to think that a little girl was running around out here all alone.

"Donnie! Hurry and get her!" April pleaded.

"But-" he began to protest.

"-I'll be fine," insisted April, "she could get hurt!"

Donatello didn't like leaving April alone, but she was right to be worried. This place was weird and having a little girl wandering around might end up badly. He was conflicted, but he nodded his head a little in agreement.

"Don't leave this tree." he demanded before he jumped down from the tree and headed into the fog to find the little girl. Everything around him vanished quickly since the fog was so dense. It was hard to see anything in front of him at all now. It was so sunny when they got here, so how had it suddenly become so cold and dark?  
"Little girl!" he called out, hoping to find her quickly and get back to April.

"Why are you here?" the little girls voice came again, but this time no matter where Donatello looked he could not see her.

"Where are you?" he asked into the fog as he tried to find a glimpse of her.

"Why did you come here? You should go back. _She_ doesn't need you..." said the little girl as she emerged from the fog with her red ribbon tied around her head to cover her eyes.

Donatello was a little taken aback and although he didn't particularly see the little girl as a threat, but he pulled out his Bo staff to be safe.  
"What do you mean?" he asked calmly.

"You'll never find her. ...because she was never really here." the little girl replied as the red ribbon slowly unraveled and folded at her feet.

When the ribbon was gone and Donnie was able to see the little girls face, he could see that her eyes had been hollowed out. The techie turtle's eyes went wide and he took a deep breath to try and steady himself. The fog was closing in around him and becoming denser by the second. It was getting so that he could barely see his own weapon in his hands. Despite the strange, horrific child, Donnie began to worry about having left April alone. Clearly something was going on and it was something they hadn't planned on. The little girl was lost in the fog again and now the haze had made it completely impossible to see. Still, he was a ninja, not being able to see was not the worst thing that could have happened.

"She doesn't need you!" the girls voice screeched through the haze as strange shadows wrapped around Donatello's body and even before he could gasp, they covered his mouth and toppled him to the ground. With his arms and legs completely bound, Donnie was unable to move and though he tried to call out, his voice was completely muffled at this point.

"I told you..." started the little girl as she walked up to the turtle struggling to get free, "she doesn't need you..."

"MMMPH! MMPHHH!" Donnie tried to call out as he was dragged from the girls feet and into the haze.

Raphael and Mikey were having much of the same problems with the fog. Neither one of them could see very well, but it didn't seem to hinder Michelangelo much. The freckled turtle was swinging from limb to limb among the trees while Raphael tried to get his T-phone to work.

"Damn! This thing is useless. We should have been there by now." growled Raphael before he tossed his phone to the ground in frustration. It felt as if they had been running around in circles among the fog and he was having no luck contacting April or Donatello.

"Maybe we got the address wrong?" Mikey suggested as he landed next to his brother.

"I doubt it." replied Raphael, "something feels off though. ...this fog just came on suddenly and now I swear we haven't moved at all."

"I'd say we've been moving a lot. I got tons of splinters." Mikey held out his hands for Raph to see the small splints of wood in his fingers.

"Well stop swinging in the trees like a chimp!" Raphael shouted in annoyance.

In the darkness now, Raphael and Michelangelo looked around frantically. It was difficult enough to see one another, let alone anything around them, but it was clear that something sinister was happening.

Mikey turned to his right, certain that he had heard a voice in the distance. Listening a little closer, he was able to determine that Eve was calling out, but he couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Mikey! Mikey help me!" she shouted desperately.

The freckled turtle flinched and took in a deep breath.  
"Eve! Where are you?!" he shouted back, trying to figure out exactly where her voice was coming from. He couldn't see Raphael or anything, but at least he could hear Eve.

"Over here! Mikey, please! I-I can't see!"

Mikey dashed quickly towards the direction of her voice without another word. The darkness was cold and it seemed to prick at his skin as he ran for her. He tried not to notice, but his breath was visible in the chilly air now and tiny needles were stabbing at his arms and legs. He had to stop and catch his breath, but every time he inhaled, his throat was plagued with a piercing sting. Why had it gotten so cold all of a sudden?

"...Mikey...are you cold?" Evelyn asked as she slowly made her way over to him. For some reason, she was the only thing he could see in the darkness. Mikey was starting to feel tired as he shivered from the cold that seemed to wrap around his body, he could even see frost begin to creep along his hands and feet.

"E-e-eve...?" Mikey began in a trembling voice as the ice began to chill within his shell and slow him to his knees.

"Don't worry...I can warm you up..." Eve offered her hand to the turtle. Wrapped around her palm was a red ribbon and her skin had a faint glow that appeared to him as if she were a slowly burning ember.

The closer her hand came to his own, he could feel the small relief that she offered from the chill that was slowly creeping along his body and threatening to shut him down. He was here to find Evelyn and now she was in front of him, reaching out to warm him. He didn't really think twice about trying to meet her hand, but the moment that her fingertips touched his hand, all he could see was darkness. Michelangelo was quickly engulfed in shadows and his body went completely limp. His vision was gone and now he could only feel the cold. There was nothing else to feel.

 **A/N: Okay, I'm SOOOO sorry about how long this chapter took to release. As I have mentioned before, I am now in the UK and it's been super busy over here as I get used to my new job and getting everything settled. Things have finally settled down a little and I have some time to write again. I'll try for at least one chapter a week from now on. (There will hopefully be more.)  
Anyway! Tell me what you thought about this chapter and as always, I'm so grateful for all the views and support. **


	21. A Vision of You

**Chapter Twenty-One: A vision of you**

Michelangelo awoke to the faint sound of muffled voices. His vision was fuzzy at first, but after a moment or two, he was able to make out a few strangers in lab coats and surgical masks wandering around the room to monitor different machines.  
It didn't take long to realize that he was strapped to a table after he tried to move and found that he couldn't. He was staring at all this through glass and the table they had strapped him to was standing upright. The freckled turtle was still coming out of his haze after passing out like he did. The last thing he could recall was feeling cold and staring up into Eve's eyes, but after that, everything went dark. His head was aching and although his body no longer felt like it would freeze, he hurt all over, as if someone had been kicking him for hours. The doctors didn't seem to pay him any mind, perhaps they thought he was still asleep, but this gave him a second to examine the room.

Looking around the room now, Mikey was able to see that he was not alone. Donatello was passed out and strapped to a table across from him in a a sort of display case juts like he was. There were at least three doctors wandering about the room and each one looked almost identical to the other. They hid their faces with goggles and surgical masks so there was little hope in identifying any of them, (not that he could even if that were not the case) and they all seemed to be rather busy as each one walked from monitor to monitor, ignoring the turtles completely. What they were doing was of little concern to Mikey now that he had seen his brother unconscious across from him. His main concern now was finding a way out of his bonds and getting Donatello free as well. Michelangelo wasn't exactly a planner like Donnie or Leonardo, but he figured that if he could just break free, he would be able to wing it.

"Is everything all set for tonight?" Christopher asked as he entered the room with Carling.

Thinking it was best to pretend he was sleeping, Mikey lowered his head and closed his eyes a bit. It may have been more of a panic move than anything. This guy looked like the one that April had shown them in the news article. So this was the Christopher that hurt his brother and took Evelyn from them? That had to mean that Evelyn was close by. Maybe she was in the room with them and locked away like himself and Donatello.

"Yes, sir. Lady Michelle is resting comfortably now and she'll soon be brought down for the ceremony." replied Carling in a hushed voice, her face covered by the long black cloak once again.

"...and what about that Foot girl? She escaped along with that turtle. Don't you think she might return?"

"Not likely," began Carling as one of the doctors handed her a piece of paper to look at, "...we have a deal with their leader. He wouldn't risk the pay off just because we caught up his daughter."

"I don't want anything going wrong!" shouted Chris, "This is too important! Michelle is too important!"

"Calm down...it's okay. Lady Michelle will be back with us soon. If she tries to escape this time...we have a little leverage..." said Carling as she gestured to the turtles that they had locked in the cases.

Christopher didn't look convinced, but Carling turned her head to look at Michelangelo. She could see that he was pretending to sleep, but it was of little concern to her. Everything was coming together now and she was about to get the reward she had been promised.

While Mikey was trying to think of a way he could get his brother and himself out of their cases, April was alone in the woods and getting impatient as she waited there for Donatello. He had gone to get the little girl some time ago and after waiting for so long, she was starting to get worried. The redhead climbed down the trunk of the tree and rushed into the fog in hopes of finding her friend. The moment they arrived here everything had gone wrong. This was supposed to be simple. April never thought that Evelyn would be involved in something so complicated and she certainly never thought that this rescue mission would end up like this.

"AGH!" April exclaimed in pain as a sharp jabbing throbbed inside her head. She reached her hands up to grip at the sides of her head and with gritted teeth she tried to endure it as she closed her eyes tight, it was just lucky for her that it didn't last long. Once the pain was gone, April opened her eyes slowly and quickly realized that not only had the fog vanished, but she was no longer in the forest. She was in an old room filled with stuffed animals and toys, the canopy bed looked as though it was set up for a princess, but the room was shut off completely. There were no windows to light the room; only candles and a few gas burning lamps.  
"Where...?" April began to ask aloud until she heard laughter in the background. She turned around quickly to see that the same little girl was running into the room, carrying a large stuffed bear. The girl looked just as she had when she called out to Donatello and herself, but there was no red ribbon in her long ebony hair this time.

"Thank you so much, Chris!" exclaimed the little girl as she ran straight through a startled April and over to her pile of stuffed animals to place the bear down.

April panicked at first when the girl passed right through her, but after a second she was able to determine that this must have been a vision of some kind. One of the little girls memories?

A young boy walked into the room now, dressed in a little suit and messy black hair. His eyes were a piercing crystal blue that seemed to brighten in the dim light of the room.

"No problem. Mother said I could buy you a souvenir from the carnival." he said with a smile.

The little girl's smile faded quickly now and she looked over at the large pile of toys.  
"...I wish I could go..." she whispered, "...why do I have to stay inside all the time? ...it's not fair. You get to go out all the time. ...but mommy and daddy only let me out at night..." As she spoke, her eyes began to water and she rubbed her nose with her little hand.

"Hey...don't cry..." started little Christopher as he approached the girl, placing his hand on her shoulder. They didn't seem to be too far apart in age, he couldn't have been more than a couple years older than the girl. "I only go out some times and I hate it. I'd rather be here with you. Remember what Mother said? You're the moons favorite, you should be happy. Oh! I got you something else!" he exclaimed happily, doing his best to cheer her up by keeping his voice optimistic and cheerful. Chris reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, silk red ribbon to offer her.  
"Here! I picked it out myself." he announced with pride before he made an effort to tie the girls raven curls back a bit and make a bow. He was terrible at it, but it didn't seem to matter to either of them. Once he had finished it, the little girl rushed to her large vanity mirror and her tears dried at once. She smiled and twirled around a bit in order to get a better look at it in her hair.

"I love it!" raved the little girl, "Thank you, brother! I'll never take it off!"

"You're welcome, Michelle. I'm glad you like it." he replied with a smile.

It was a pleasant scene and as April watched it unfold, she started to connect a few dots. This little boy looked a lot like the Christopher she found in the newspaper article and now that she got a closer look at the little girl, she bore a striking resemblance to the Evelyn that they knew now, but her eyes were blue like the little boys. The vision began to fade out, but instead of bringing April back to the dense forest, she was left in the dark.

"Anybody there?" shouted April after a moment of silence.

"I'm here." announced the little girl as she stepped from the shadows and into view for April to see. She looked the same as she had in the vision, except that she had the ribbon tied around her eyes like a blindfold.

"Eve-I mean...Michelle," began April cautiously, "...what happened to Donatello...?"

"She didn't need _him_...and she doesn't need _you_ either..." responded the little girl quietly, making no attempt to look up at April or move.

"...where is he? Is he okay?" April asked once more.

"She doesn't need _you_. You're not wanted. ...neither was I..." Michelle whispered.

Before April could ask again, blood began to drip from the little girls parted lips and slowly stream from her eyes behind the ribbon that covered them. April stepped back as she watched the girls blood puddle at her bare feet. She had no idea if she was supposed to help or run away, but she had to remind herself that this was not real. It couldn't have been real. When April took another step back, something caught her foot up quickly and the moment she looked back to see what it was, the little girl was at her side and took April's hand aggressively. With a gasp, the redhead tried to pull her hand away, but Michelle held tight to her and the darkness that had snagged her foot was slowly creeping up her leg, feeling very much like a vice that was determined to ensnare her entire body.

"Let go!" demanded April in a panic while she struggled with her arm and her leg, feeling the darkness begin to creep up her other leg now and getting a little faster. It was reaching her waist and making it harder to breath; therefore, harder to struggle for freedom.

"We aren't wanted! So let's go _**together!**_ " laughed Michelle as she tugged the ribbon from her eyes with her other hand. The scarlet garment was tossed to the floor and April gasped when she saw what the ribbon had been hiding. The little girls eyes were hollowed out and instead of blood, a black ooze was slowly flowing from the sockets now. It was terrifying, but what disturbed April more than anything was the smile on the girls face. Michelle was laughing and her smile seemed to stretch her cheeks as the black ooze crept down her skin. The laughter was the last thing that April heard before the darkness overcame her completely and wrapped her entire body in it's tight grip, causing April to drift quickly into unconsciousness.

His brothers were quickly getting caught up in darkness and April was sinking into the shadows as well while Leonardo held the bottle of black goop in his hand just over his head as he laid on the couch with his battered body. Master Splinter had gone back to the Dojo in order to get some rest and allow Leonardo to do the same, but Leo was wide awake and still toying with the idea of trying this black goop for himself. After all, it had healed Eve of all the broken bones that plagued her, why shouldn't it work for him? However, they still had no idea what it was or why it had healed her. No matter how much Leonardo wanted to go and help his family, was he really willing to take something so foreign in order to get back on his feet?

"Are you going to take that?" came Evelyn's voice as she appeared beside Leonardo.

The turtles leader flinched and quickly turned his head to the right in order to see if Evelyn was actually there. Turning so quickly aggravated his left shoulder and he cringed a bit, which caused Evelyn to kneel beside the couch and place her hands on his chest in concern.

"Don't move..." she urged quietly.

"Wh...how did you get here? Where are the others?" asked Leo, glancing at the raven haired girl to his side. She looked just as she had when he last saw her, but her long ebony hair was tied back slightly by a bright red ribbon.

"Are you going to take that?" asked Evelyn once more.

Leonardo raised a brow as Evelyn disregarded his questions, that wasn't like her. He knew something was off from the moment he heard her voice. There was no way that they would all be back so quickly and to have Eve just slip in without a sound was very unlikely.

"Where are my brothers?" demanded Leonardo.

Evelyn silently rose to her feet and looked down at Leonardo with a frown, "what do you care? ...you failed them. You got caught...and now you're useless again. What good are you?" she berated with a sneer.

Her words stung him, but it became clear very quickly that this was not the Evelyn he knew. Leonardo tried to lift himself from the couch, but his left arm and leg were still horribly injured, as such, it was difficult to move. Evelyn leaned down and slammed her fist into his left shoulder where he had been stabbed by Carling in order to keep him from moving. The turtle gasped in pain and Evelyn met his eyes as she snatched the bottle from his hand.

"Were you going to drink this?" questioned Eve with a smirk, "Did you think something like this would actually _help_ you? You think that you can help anyone? You're _useless!_ You couldn't protect your brothers, me, or Karai!"

Leonardo grit his teeth and bore with the pain in order to speak with whatever was pretending to be Evelyn.  
"I...am going to-to save you...all of you..." he struggled to say, "just...wait."

"I'm _done_ waiting," she insisted before pulling away and glaring down once more at Leonardo, "I was never really a part of this family...and now...you won't be either!" shouted Evelyn, pulling a dagger out from behind her back and gripping it with both hands before she quickly plunged the blade down towards his chest.

"Evelyn-STOP!" shouted Leonardo just as he woke from his sleep in a cold sweat. He panted for breath and noticed that the bottle had fallen from his hand to the floor while he slept. Looking down at his chest, he couldn't see a mark from the dagger and after he gave himself a little time to calm down, he determined it had all been a dream.  
"...it felt so real..." he muttered in a breath; wiping the sweat from his brow with his right hand. A dream or not, the content of it had shaken Leonardo to his core. Why would he dream something like that? Evelyn had never been hostile towards him or anyone and he never saw her wear a red ribbon before, so why would he see her like that?

Was it a vision? Some sort of warning? He looked back down at the bottle of black ooze and with a new rush of conviction, he scooped it up and quickly drank the contents so that he didn't have a chance to change his mind. The ooze seemed to stick in his throat for a moment, leaving a strange burning sensation behind on its way down and he almost coughed it back up as a result. Still, Leonardo was determined to try his luck and see if this stuff would do for him what it had done for Evelyn. Only moments after he swallowed the black substance, his entire body began to heat up and it started to feel as though his blood was boiling. Despite the pain in his left shoulder, he hunched over on the couch and writhed as he rocked back and forth, doing anything he could to lessen the pain inside of him. When it felt like the fire would never die out, he actually brought his right hand to his left shoulder and gripped it tight, hoping to lessen the burning feeling by focusing on a different pain, but even as he squeezed his shoulder, there was no pain.

Leonardo gasped and rolled himself off the couch, noting quickly that he no longer felt the same kind of pain in his leg or shoulder. The burning would not cease, but everything else seemed to be healed. He took a deep breath and with what little focus he had left, Leonardo began to chant as Master Splinter had taught him in a last ditch effort to stop the burning. After what felt like forever, the burning finally started to die down and Leonardo was left panting for breath on the floor. His struggle seemed to have gone unnoticed by his father and a part of him was thankful for that. It was a little difficult to take deep breaths and he could still feel a heat on his bones, but he was healed, actually healed. His gambit had paid off and the black ooze had closed his wounds and took the pain of them away, perhaps that dream was the push he needed in order to take this risk. Leonardo got to his feet and looked back at the Dojo, master splinter would surely be upset when he woke up to find him gone, but he wanted to go and help his brothers and make sure that Evelyn got out of there safely. He always felt a little guilt when it came to letting others fight without him, but that dream really shook him. For some reason, what Evelyn had said to him left a pit in his stomach. Did she really feel that way all the time that she lived here? Did she really think she was not a member of this family? He may not have cared for her the way that she cared for him, but he did see her as family and he knew that his brothers felt the same.

"Are you going?" Evelyn asked as she suddenly appeared behind him.

Leonardo turned around to face her, but this wasn't like the dream. Evelyn seemed calmer, much more like herself. Her hair was no longer tied back in the red ribbon and her eyes were gentle once again. No longer accusing.

"Yeah. ...I'm going." her answered with a smile, "You don't have to wait much longer."

Evelyn's smile brightened and a relief seemed to wash over her.  
"I believe in you...and all the others too. I'll see you soon..." replied Eve quietly.

Why or how he was talking to Evelyn right now seem to matter to Leonardo, in fact, it felt rather normal, as if it was something that happened everyday. He didn't think much of it as he offered one last smile to Evelyn and turned on his heel to head for the door and join his brothers in their attempt to bring Evelyn back home.

 **A/N: Well I hope that you all like the new chapter. I'll get started on the next one right away and try to keep my deadline of one chapter a week. As always, let me know what you think and I love to hear your theories. I look forward to seeing you next chapter! Bye!**


	22. A Broken Promise

**Chapter Twenty-Two: A Broken Promise**

Raphael had been searching for Michelangelo ever since his little brother ran off into the fog. What bothered him most was that he didn't even see him run off or hear a thing before his brother vanished. This fog was so thick that he couldn't see even inches in front of his face. He considered calling out, but they came here to get Eve back and shouting was not exactly a stealthy way to do that.

"...where did he go...?" muttered Raphael to himself as he closed his eyes and tried to listen for a way out of this fog. He tried going higher into the trees, but there seemed to be no end to the haze.

"Who are you looking for?"

Raphael whipped around to see a young woman was stepping out of the fog and stopping just an arms length from the turtle. It was Evelyn. Her black curls were tied back in a red ribbon and though she was unharmed, she was covered in blotches of mud, as of she had slipped and fell many times on the way here. In a hospital gown and completely barefoot, Evelyn was standing in front of the hot tempered turtle with a blank expression.  
Raphael wasn't sure he was seeing correctly at first. He shook his head and looked once more to confirm he was not witnessing an illusion.

"Eve? How...?" as Raphael began to question her, his voice faded once he started to realize there was no way she could be here. Leonardo and Karai may have escaped, but that was luck. There was no way that a girl like Evelyn, with very little training, could get out on her own without a scratch. It wasn't just that, it was the fact that this didn't feel like the Evelyn he knew. When she was around, he felt warm and he could almost see a glow from her, but not with this one. She may have looked like Eve, but it wasn't his Eve.

"You came for me...but I don't need you. ...I never asked for your help." Eve's voice was flat and stoic as she spoke, as was her expression. "You told Donatello that no one would choose creatures like you. Mutants. Why would I love something like you?"

The turtle grit his teeth and glared at the figure. Her words did sting since they were coming from the girl that he loved. At least she looked and sounded like her anyway, but this was not her and he had to try hard to remind himself of that. This was a trick somehow.

"You know, I really hate head games!" he growled, gripping his sai just before he lunged at the girl. She made no attempt to move and her expression was still the same, even when Raphael grabbed her shoulders and pinned her to the ground, pressing the blade of his to her neck. She simply looked up at him in silence with her back against the dirt.  
"Who are you?" he demanded

"I don't know." she said simply, her tone still lifeless and dull.

"Where are my brothers?"

"I don't know."

"What do you want with Eve?"

"I don't know."

"What do you want?" His tone was rising with each question, getting increasingly annoyed over this whole mess and her insistence on giving the same an answer.

It wasn't until Raphael asked his last question however, that the girl showed any emotion at all. Suddenly, Eve's eyes glistened and tears began to drip down the sides of her face to the ground beneath them. The look on her face now wrenched up the turtles heart. She looked as though she were in deep sorrow, a deep pain that didn't . It was an expression he had never seen on Evelyn before and it startled him.

"I...want to die." she choked out softly.

Her words shocked Raphael to his core and without missing a beat, he gripped her shoulders.  
"Don't say that." he insisted quickly. An illusion or not, he never wanted to hear those words from her mouth.

"Let me go. ...please...I want...to die..." she sobbed, bringing her hands to her face and hiding her tears behind her palms now.

"Stop saying that!" he demanded, releasing her shoulders and taking her wrists into his hands to gently reveal her face. Rapheal stared down at Evelyn as her tears flowed down to moisten the dirt. His emerald eyes fixed on her and he brought his hand to her face, tenderly brushing the tears from her cheek with his thumb.  
"Don't say that." he repeated quietly. He knew that this wasn't really her, but he didn't want to see her like this. Even if it was some kind of trick of the mind, he couldn't take seeing Evelyn like this or hearing her say those things.

"What should I say then...?" she began with a sob, staring up at Raphael with watery eyes. "...what _should_ I say...so that I can die?"

Raphael was at a loss for words now. This was not what he expected at all and he could feel her body trembling as he wiped her tears. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't answer her question and he wouldn't if he could. He came here to save Eve, not let her die.  
"E-eve...just tell me where you are. Tell me where we can find you. Tell me how to get you out!"

"I guess...she doesn't need **you** either..." whispered Evelyn.

Raphael could only stare back at her, unable to find the words he needed. A lump formed in his throat and his eyes started to burn. Why was he so upset? This was not the Evelyn that he knew and chances were, that it was just a trick in order to slow him down, but it hurt so much to see her like this. It was as if she were asking him to kill her himself. While they stared at one another in silence, Raphael began to notice that his vision was becoming fuzzy and his body felt weighed down.

"...and if **she** doesn't need you...than neither do **I**..."

Evelyn's voice was horribly muffled now as Raphael felt himself slipping out of consciousness. He struggled to stay awake, but it was a losing battle and despite his efforts everything soon went dark for the turtle.

Once Raphael was unconscious, the fake Evelyn sighed and slipped out from under him, sitting herself on the ground beside him and hugging her knees to herself.  
"I thought that you would be the one that could help her. ...the one to help me..." she whispered as she brought her hand over to gently stroke his forehead while he lay in the dirt.  
"Perhaps...we will have to wait a little longer...but if you don't hurry...there will be nothing left to save..."  
The illusion didn't take Raphael anywhere like the others had done. Instead; she got to her feet and slowly moved her arm to slice through to the fog. The mist lifted around them and the mansion came into view now. It had been just several feet from the turtles all the while, but kept far from them within the mysterious haze that surrounded it. Once the cover was lifted, she looked back down at Raphael as her body started to slowly fade along the fog.  
"I hope you can succeed...where I failed..." With that; her body was gone and leaving Raphael alone among the trees.

As Raphael was left alone, Michelangelo was still pretending to be unconscious. Carling and Christopher didn't say much else after their little argument and he was still trying to figure a way out of his little prison. Since they had strapped his hands and feet down, he wasn't sure how to get any leverage here. He considered trying to wake Donnie up, but he would have to wait until Carling and Christopher left. They would be able to take out the doctors, but he got a creepy feeling from the woman and he didn't like the odds while they still didn't know where Raphael and April were.

While Mikey pondered his options as best he could, the doors opened and he opened one eye to glance towards the maids that seemed to be carrying something into the room. Christopher rushed towards them and once the turtle saw what they were carrying, both his eyes shot open wide and his breath hitched in a light gasp.

It was Evelyn. She was dressed in a white hospital gown, with a few tubes stuck into her arms that seemed to be attached to the IV pole another maid was wheeling in behind them. He watched as they placed Evelyn onto what looked like a hospital bed in the middle of the room and though he was determined to keep quiet until he knew what was going on, when he saw them start to plug more tubes into her body from the surround machines, he panicked.

"EVE!" he shouted desperately. "What are you doing to her?!"

Christopher's gaze shot towards Mikey at once and a fury rose inside of him when he heard that name.

"Her name is Michelle! MICHELLE!" he shouted back, his voice cracking as his composure slipped away quickly. He seemed to be unraveling a lot faster now.

"Her name is **Evelyn** ," began Mikey, "and you better not hurt her!"

Before Christopher was able to argue, he heard Evelyn begin to stir in her sleep and when she opened her eyes, he rushed to her side without missing a beat.

"Turn them on!" he shouted in a panic, "hurry!"

Everyone in the room began to stumble all over themselves, pressing buttons and flipping switches. Each tube that was hooked to Eve started to flow with a black substance that was being pumped into her and once it did, the raven haired girl started to writhe in agony. Her eyes burst open and her voice rang out to Mikey's horror. She was screaming in pain while the black liquid was pumped into her body. The maids all scrambled to strap the girl into the bed in order to keep her from falling from the bed and another one placed a gag in her mouth, either in an attempt to silence her, or to keep her from biting off her own tongue while she convulsed in the bed.

Mikey watched in horror for what felt like forever as the girl he considered family was suffering. He was a gentle soul and had always tried to find the silver lining in everything that they went through, but this was too much. These people were evil. It was if something had snapped inside the freckled turtle. A rage bubbled to the surface and without any warning, he pulled at his bonds, breaking them with great effort. With all of Eve's screaming and the noise from the machines around them, no one was paying him enough attention to notice what he had done. It wasn't until he removed the straps around his feet and kicked through the glass that anyone noticed what was going on.

His anger was so intense that he couldn't even hear what everyone was shouting as he broke through and began to knock down the doctors that made an attempt to stop him on his way to Eve. He didn't have his weapons, but he didn't need them to deal with these people. This was the first time that he saw red and everything else just seemed to be muffled around him. Carling saw the commotion and used the chaos to her advantage, slipping out of the room among the panic without being seen as the others rushed for the turtle.

Unfortunately for them, doctors and maids were no match for the ninja. He was too quick to catch and too strong to hold back. He toppled most of them and swiftly passed by the rest. the only thought in his head was to get to Eve and get her out and that single minded determination was all he needed right now. Her screams only pushed him further and further. A doctor managed to make his way towards a switch on the wall and pulled it as fast as he could. An alarm started to sound and footbots rushed into the room and made a dash for Michelangelo and piled on the turtle in order to slow him down. Mikey was fighting his way through them as best he could, but there were dozens of them surrounding him and more were continuing to push into the room.

Evelyn's muffled screaming could still be heard over the alarm and it made it impossible for Mikey to stop in his attempt to get to her. Even with the swords and kunai that were being directed at him, he was only spurred on by her screams. He could barely feel the blades as they cut him. He was able to push through most of them on his own, but there were just too many for him to deal with alone. A few of the footbots finally succeeded in pining him down and he grunted in pain as they pressed on the slices they made along his arms.  
Mikey was completely overwhelmed by the dozens of footbots and just when it seemed he would be unable to move at all, he could see a few of the robots being pulled away from his body and tossed away.

"Mikey!" his brother shouted as he fought his way through the pile to get to him. It was Leonardo, completely healed and piercing his blades into the footbots that held his brother down.

Michelangelo gasped happily when he saw his brother and the moment he was able to get a little leverage, he pushed himself back up off the floor and joined Leonardo.

"How did you get here?" asked Mikey as they fought back to back, hoping to destroy all the robots so they could help Evelyn as quickly as possible.

"I'll explain later! I'll clear the way, you get Eve!" replied Leo as he began to rush towards Evelyn and charge his way through the footbots.

Mikey only nodded his head in response and ran behind his brother, helping all he could along the way. Blood was dripping from his arms and though it stung, it sounded like Eve was in a lot more pain.

Christopher looked back at all the chaos and he began to panic. It was only a matter of time before the turtles made their way over to them and they would take Michelle from him. He didn't want to lose her again, not when he was so close. They were getting closer and closer and it seemed that the footbots were not going to be enough. He pulled something from beneath Eve's hospital bed. Once Leonardo and Mikey had downed the last footbot, they caught sight of what Chris had in his hands and they both stopped cold.

"What are you doing?!" Mikey shouted desperately.

Christopher looked unhinged as he held a blade above Eve's chest with a crazed look in his eyes.  
"This is my last chance! You wont take her from me! You can't!" His hands were shaking as the silver blade edged closer to her body.

"Think about what you are doing..." Leonardo began calmly, doing his best to keep this crazed man from cracking. "...she's important to you. To all of us. ...you don't want to hurt her."

Christopher smiled and her nodded his head. "...I do care about her. I love her. ...and that's why I **have** to hurt her!" he shouted, thrusting the blade down in an instant and piercing her body. The turtles could only watch as they witnessed the blood dripping down the hospital bed and the screaming ended. Christopher had stabbed Evelyn right before their eyes and even though the alarm was sounding around them, it was all just white noise. The girl they had come to save was motionless on the bed now.

Michelangelo's feet crumbled beneath him and tears fell fast from his eyes as he fell to his knees, never taking his eyes from Evelyn's limp hand that was hanging from the edge of the bed she laid on. It was like he couldn't breath and his heart was being choked inside his chest as he fell apart.

Leonardo's swords fell to the ground with a clatter and it was as if her blood was dripping to the floor in slow motion. His gaze couldn't help but follow the crimson liquid as it streamed to the floor. He could feel his heart pounding hard beneath his shell. He had promised her that he would save her. He promised her she didn't have to wait much longer and now she was gone. His eyes burned as tears threatened to escape. What had they come here for now? Everything they fought for was gone.  
"...I...I'm so sorry..." breathed out Leonardo in a trembling voice. He had broken his promise. He couldn't save her.

 **A/N: I am so sorry that this chapter took so long to come out. It's been a little more busy than I thought here, but I have not forgotten about my sweet turtle babies.  
I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter and I look forward to seeing you in the next one. **


	23. Can You Save Her?

**Chapter Twenty-three: Can you save her?**

Neither Leonardo, nor Michelangelo were prepared for what they had just witnessed. The girl they had come to save was now bleeding on her hospital bed. Her screaming had ceased, but that was of little comfort for the turtles who came to care for her. While Mikey could only stare in stunned silence, Leonardo trembled, unable to accept what had just happened.

Christopher stood over Eve's body with a smile and his almost relieved expression pushed the turtles leader over the edge. Without taking a breath he lunged at the man and rammed him against one of the machines by his collar.

"What did you do?!" He shouted through gritted teeth, doing the best he could to refrain from bashing Christopher's head through the machine.

Chris only laughed with a desperate and breathless squeak. "I saved her! I fixed her!" He managed to choke out as Leonardo pinned him up off the ground.

Saved her?! Those words caused something to snap inside Leo and his entire body tensed up. This man thought he was saving her? How could anyone do that to someone they loved? He gripped Chris' collar and tossed him hard against the floor. Leo didn't waste any time in raising his fist and swinging at the mans face without much restraint. Master Splinter had always taught mercy, but in his mind, Leonardo was no longer able to see that line. Not while Evelyn bled onto the floor.

" _Leonardo_."

The turtle gasped and quickly snapped from his rage when he heard a familiar voice. It was Evelyn. He hadn't even realized that he had already knocked Christopher unconscious until that very moment. He quickly got to his feet and turned to a vision of Evelyn standing next to the bed where she lay dying. He tried to steady his breathing and focus on what he was seeing rather than question it, but everything was happening so quickly. The vision of Evelyn smiled at him and brought her hand to the dying girls chest. The moment she made contact, Leonardo could hear a heartbeat clear as day inside his mind and the Turtle caught his breath in new found hope.

"She's still alive..." he began under his breath before turning to his brother. "Mikey! She's alive!" He shouted now, rushing to her bedside and examining her. It was still a horrible sight to see. The blade was still stuck inside her chest and her bleeding wouldn't stop, but when he put his hand to her neck, he could feel a pulse.

Michelangelo had barely processed what his brother had told him. The poor young turtle was still in shock over what he had seen. He didn't express anything as he stood up and walked over to the other side of Evelyn's bed and looked down at her body. Tears hadn't stopped flowing from his face since the moment he saw her blood hit the floor, but when Leo took his hand and placed it against her neck, Mikey choked out a sob and finally felt as though he could breath again. He could feel her pulse and despite all the logic that should have left her dead, Eve was alive. He smiled finally and tried to wipe the now happy tears from his eyes.

"H-how?" Was all Mikey could get out. He didn't want to question it at all, but if they were going to save her, didn't they have to know what was keeping her from the brink?

Leonardo looked around and finally noticed that the machines were still running and pumping the black liquid into her body. Somehow, it must have been keeping her alive. In fact, if that liquid was the same stuff that healed his own injuries, maybe there was more they could do for her.

"Mikey, get Donnie out of there and wake him up! We're gonna need his help!" Instructed Leonardo.

Michelangelo nodded quickly and rushed over to where Donnie was still being held captive. He regretted not saving his brother sooner, but there was so much going on. He smashed through the glass and removed the straps that bound Donnie's hands and feet. The two then began to try and wake Donnie without alarming him too much. They didn't know how much time they had to save Evelyn and it would be faster if they didn't have to calm him down as well as explain things.

While the turtles attempted to save her, Evelyn was waking up. Just; not where she should have. When she opened her eyes she found herself back in the dojo. At first she was confused. The last thing she could recall was confronting Carling. Hadn't she given herself up in order to save Leo and Karai? The memories were fuzzy at best, but when she heard the doors slid open she was pulled from them altogether. She turned her head to the open doors and saw Leonardo standing there with a tray of food.

"Oh good, you're awake." He greeted with a smile as he made his way to her bedside and knelt down to meet her eyes. "Still not feeling well?" He asked now, placing the tray down.

Not feeling well? Was she sick? Is that why her head hurt so much? She opened her mouth to respond, but couldn't get the words out before Leo placed his hand over her forehead. Her cheeks burned slightly while the blue eyed turtle took her temperature.

"You still feel a little warm. I'll ask April to pick up some cold medicine." He stated as he pulled his hand away.

"W-wait. ...you're all better?" Evelyn began quietly, "what happened to Karai? Is she safe? ...how did I get back here? I mean-"

Leonardo placed his finger against her lips to stop her and he chuckled a bit under his breath. "Wow...you must have been having some strange dreams. Everyone is fine." Assured Leonardo before taking his hand back.

Evelyn blushed a little further and looked down at her lap. Was it all really a dream? If she had been sick, it would explain the way her head felt at least. Perhaps all of that had just been a bad dream. She smiled finally and sighed in relief.

"We've all been really worried about you. Mikey hasn't been able to eat. Well he has, but not as much." Joked Leo.

Eve laughed softly and pushed the blankets from her lap. "Well I'm feeling much better. I'll go and let him know."

As Eve made an attempt to get to her feet, Leonardo reached out and grabbed her wrist gently.

"Everyone is out on a mission." He informed her, urging her to sit back down as he eased her back into bed by the hand.

Though she did as she was prompted and sat back down, she felt a little strange being kept from standing. "Without you? ...why didn't you go with them?"

"I was worried about you. I wanted to stay behind and look after you."

Eve flinched slightly and felt her cheeks burn once more. She knew that Leonardo was kind and she didn't want to allow herself to read into this too much. After all, she knew how he felt about Karai. She had seen it on their last mission. No matter what she felt for him, he didn't feel the same.

"Well...thank you, but I really am feeling better. You guys always take such good care of me." She replied with a smile, averting her gaze to her lap once more. A little too embarrassed for him to see her flushed cheeks.

Leonardo brought fingertips to her chin and gently lifted her face to meet his eyes once more. She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as the turtle smiled at her. He was always so gentle with her and so kind. Was it really so strange that she would fall for someone like him?

"Eve.." He began quietly, moving his hand to her cheek, "...dont worry so much." Without another word, Leonardo leaned in and pressed his lips against hers.

Evelyn gasped lightly as her lips were caught up by Leonardo. Ar first she was shocked and embarrassed, but after a moment to let it sink in, she allowed herself to lean into the kiss and return it happily. Her heart skipped a beat and she placed her hand over his own against her cheek. Leonardo's kiss was gentle and sweet, not like the ones that Raphael had given her before. There was more passion in Raphael's kiss. Raphael...

"Wait!" Eveyln shouted as she pushed Leonardo from her in a swift movement. The bliss of the kids crumbled once Raphael came to mind. Why was she thinking of him at a time like this? Perhaps it was best. She knew how Raphael felt and she shouldn't allow herself to forget that and hurt him. Besides, it would cause too much friction between the brothers and she didn't want that either.

"What's wrong?" asked Leonardo.

"W-we shouldn't. ...Raphael might come back and-"

"So?" he interrupted.

Eve stared at Leonardo curiously now. That wasn't like him. If there was one thing she learned with the turtles, it was how much they cared about one another. They may have had their spats, but they always put brothers first.

"...Mikey would be upset too," she said again, "he got upset when he saw Raphael with me before." Admitting something like that was embarrassing, but she was curious to see how Leonardo would react. He wasn't exactly acting like himself.

"That doesn't matter. ...I like you too. Isn't that all that's important?" Leonardo replied as he leaned in, grabbed her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

" **Too?"** she repeated in surprise, "I never told you-wait!" Evelyn began to panic as Leonardo continued to kiss along her cheek and down towards her neck. She tried to push him off, but he was too strong and before she knew it, she was being pushed down onto her futon. This wasn't Leonardo, this couldn't have been. He wouldn't do something like this. How could she have let the kiss fool her like that? She knew how he felt about Karai. Regardless of all that now, she struggled to get this imposter off of her. No matter how hard she pushed, he wouldn't budge.

"Don't worry. You can just stay here with me..." The doppelgänger said gently as he pinned her hands above her head and met her eyes. His own eyes had gone from their soothing blue color, to pure black as he looked down at her now. "Isn't that what you want? You won't be hurt or scared here. In fact...you don't have to feel anything anymore."

She looked up at the fake Leonardo in horror and shook her head frantically. That isn't what she wanted at all. She may have cared for Leonardo a bit more than he cares for her, but she loved all the turtles. Besides, _this_ wasn't the Leonardo she knew.

"RAPHAEL!" Evelyn found herself shouting for the hot tempered turtle without thinking and though she knew it would amount to nothing, she couldn't help hoping he would manage to hear her. Wherever she happened to be at the moment.

To her surprise however, it wasn't too long after she called for Raphael that she felt Leonardo being lifted off of her and tossed to the other side of the room.

"What the hell is this?!" Raphael demanded in a huff as he stood over Evelyn and Leonardo seemed to vanish in a puff of black smoke.

Evelyn stared up at Raphael in complete shock, catching her breath and trying to determine if this was another trick. Though he looked a little too angry for it to be an illusion.

Raphael was practically fuming at this point. He had heard his name and came to find Leonardo on top of the girl he cared about. It was worse than all the times Mikey had pissed him off. Truly not something he ever wanted to see, even if it wasn't real.

"Raphael!" Shouted Evelyn again as she scrambled to her feet and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hugging him close.

He stumbled back a little once she leapt on him like that, but he placed a hand on her waist to steady them both. Though he was fully prepared to keep yelling, her embrace quelled his temper a bit.

"You're real, right?! You're really real?" asked Evelyn as she squeezed herself a little closer to him. Afraid to let go or he might change like Leonardo had.

"I should be asking _you_ that!" started Raphael in a huff, "I've been walking around in the dark for ages! This place is really piss'n me off."

"In the dark..?" she repeated, "so...how did you find me? Where are we?"

"How the hell should I know?! All I know, is I was trying to find my way out until I heard ya calling for me. Next thing I know, I'm watching you and my brother make out." He added bitterly.

Evelyn blushed and pulled away from Raphael in order to see his face. "We were _not_ making out!" She shouted in a heated manner, "he pushed himself on me and I couldn't get him off! I mean-yeah, we kinda kissed...but the second I thought of you I stopped him and then he just-!" Evelyn stopped shouting the moment she realized what she had just said and apparently, it didn't take too long for it to register with Raphael either. Eve's cheeks burned when she noticed his expression change. A smug smile lacing his face.

"Thought of me, huh?" He asked with a smirk.

"Stop that! It's not what you think," she insisted, "I just-I knew it wasn't really Leonardo is all."

"So where do I come in on that?" He asked knowingly. There weren't many reasons to think about another person while kissing someone.

"Y-you...I didn't-" the words wouldn't come out and there was no way she was about to admit that her first thought was of how much more passionate his kiss had been. "L-lets just figure a way out of here..." She said finally, averting her eyes and trying to change the subject desperately.

Raphael couldn't help but keep the grin on his face. After what he had just seen, it was a great boost to the ego knowing that she has been thinking of him and trying to push Leo off of herself.

"Whatever you say, pervert." He teased.

Evelyn gasped and smacked his shell, "I am not a-ow!" As she began to argue, a sharp pain ran through her chest and she found herself dropping to her knees at once.

Raphael got serious in an instant and knelt down beside her. "What's wrong?!"

"I don't-AGH!" another jolt shot through her chest and it had become difficult to breath now. It hurt so much. As if someone was sitting on her rib cage and bouncing up and down. "What's happening...?" She choked out in a quick attempt to breath.

 _"You're dying. ...again._ "

Rapahel and Evelyn both turned their heads towards the source of the voice and were both shocked by what they saw. It was Evelyn. Or at least, it looked and sounded like her. This Evelyn had a red ribbon wrapped around her head to cover her eyes. Raphael got the same empty feeling from her that he had when another illusion confronted him in the woods. He reached over and grabbed Evelyn by the waist, pulling her close to his side as the other one approached them.

"Who are you? And what do you mean she's dying?! What do you mean _again_?!" He demanded.

" _You can call me, Michelle. ...and I'm here to help her. ...because I think this time...it might be different..."_

 _"_ Can you just say what you mean?!" Raphael demanded once more. He was so he was so fed up with all the riddles and vague messages. "If she's dying, tell me how to stop it!"

Michelle seemed amused by Raphael's demands and she smiled a little. "... _your brothers are trying to save her as we speak. ...but this time...you're here. You'll do what you can to save her...right?"_

Evelyn was having trouble breathing and her body felt heavy, but she could hear what was being said. She was dying? She reached over a bit and grabbed Raphael's arm for a little support.

Raphael looked to Evelyn when he felt her hands on him. It was strangely reminiscent of the first time she had asked for his help. Except this time, he was not about to let her down. He turned back to Michelle and with a determined stare, he nodded his head.

"I'll do whatever I can." He replied firmly.

Michelle smiled again and didn't spare another word before Raphael vanished. Evelyn almost fell over when the turtle she had been leaning on disappeared.

"R-Raphael?!" She called out in a panic, still finding it difficult to breath as her chest felt squeezed tighter and tighter. Eve whipped her head around to glare at Michelle, "What did you do...do to him?!" She gasped out breathlessly.

" _I_ _sent him back. because you have a choice to make...and you need to make this choice alone. ...once I tell you everything you need to know."_

 **A/N: I wish a piano in order to make the proper dramatic music.**

 **This chapter was written entirely on my phone because I have been sick in bed. I wanted to use my laptop, but every time I tried to get up, my head was pounding. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I can't wait to start the next one. So much is about to go down and yes, Karai will be making her return in the next chapter. But whom will she be fighting? Hmmmm.**

 **I hope you all have been enjoying the story so far. I always look forward to your comments and reviews. See you soon! :)**


	24. Her Message, Their Connection

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Her Message, Their Connection.**

 _My name is Evelyn De Morgon. This name was given to me by the only people in this world I have ever known. I had another name once, in fact, I had a lot of other names. I don't remember them all. I probably never will. I am the product of madness and desperation, but I would also like to believe that there was once some love that went into creating me. So far, the pieces of my past that I can put together have been a mess and from what I have been told, I can no longer go back to the way things were when I had my own body. You see…though I have my own mind and soul…I was pulled from my own body and put into this one. The body that belonged to a girl named Michelle Saunders is the one I inhabit now and it's with her that this long story began._

 _Michelle Saunders was the daughter of a very wealthy family and was born with a strange condition that wouldn't allow her to walk in the sunlight like the rest of her family. She and her older brother Christopher got along very well and though her condition seemed to get worse by the day, she never wanted for anything. Her brother would dote on her and keep her company inside the dreary cage that was her bedroom. She could only go outside when the sun had gone down, so her family had a large garden made just for her on the grounds. Since she couldn't go out with the family in the daytime, very few even knew that the Saunders family had a second child. Save for one maid that worked for the family, and her name was Carling._

 _Michelle was in declining health for a long time, but her brother refused to give up on her. He had become obsessed with the occult when he began to realize that modern medicine could not help her. His parents and sister began to worry about his state of mind, but he refused to give up and let Michelle die. He and Carling would lock themselves up for days on end, pouring themselves over dark magic books and medical journals._

 _Unfortunately, when she was 18 years old, Michelle's condition caught up with her and she died in her bed on the night of a new moon. Christopher was devastated and couldn't accept her death. He blamed his parents for allowing her to die and he swore he would bring her back. Afraid their son's mind was no longer stable, his parents arranged in secret to have him treated at a mental institution. Before he was taken away however, he and Carling murdered his parents by burning down the family home with them inside._

 _Christopher left home and with his knowledge of the occult and the help of Carling, kept his sister's body alive by placing the souls of other girls inside of it until he could pull back his sisters soul. In order to take the souls of these girls, Christopher and Carling would take their eyes while they still lived. Sometimes the girls were drifters, other times they were taken on their way home, but each time they were killed, a grudge was formed. Christopher would kill the girl inside of his sister each new moon and preform the ritual to call his sister back, but with each time, his sister never returned. Inside of her however, many pieces of life were left behind. The girls that he killed held on to their hate and sorrow and it slowly turned into madness. When a new soul would occupy her body, the girl would go mad or her mind would have to be wiped clean in order to keep her pacified._

 _Michelle told me this story. I don't remember much of it. Small pieces come and go, but most of the memories left behind by the women he killed are too horrible to witness and I'm afraid to look any deeper. In a sense, I'm glad that I lost my memory. Still, I wonder what I was doing when they took me. Was I on my way home from work? Was I going to return to a family that loved me? Or was I just another drifter that they scooped up off the street?_

 _In the darkness, Michelle has given me a choice. I can forget or I can fight. If I allow the turtles to save me, I will be bound to this body and will be given the task of saving the souls that have been left behind. To do this, I will need to endure their horrific memories. There is a chance these memories will drive me mad like the others, but if I can focus on my friends, I might be able to keep my mind in one piece. I wonder if that will really be enough to solve all this. Is that really all there is to this story? There is a big part of me that thinks this won't be the end of it, but Michelle has been left in the dark for more than a hundred years. Doesn't she deserve a little peace after all this time? There is a big chance that I could end up just like the others and become just another soul fragment inside of this body, but there is a small chance that I could save Michelle and maybe help my friends in the process. What kind of person would I be if I just turned my back on them all now?_

 _Besides…I want to go back._

 _I don't know if this will reach you, but if any piece of me is left behind in this body, I want it to be this. I want whoever occupies this body next to know what happened and know that there is a chance to live. I want you to know that I was happy and I hold no grudge. I made friends and I even fell in love. If I fail and get lost in the screams that you hear in your head, try hard to focus on the happiness I will leave behind. There were people that loved me. They even tried to save me. Know that there was a family that took me in and treated me with kindness. If this message happens to reach you, if you happen to hear my voice within the hateful screams, you need to know that you can be loved. I need you to know that I was happy for a time and if I fail, that doesn't mean I will stop trying. I will do my best to help you if you decide to fight._

 _I do have a request however. If this piece of my soul lives on and you hear my message, please find the turtles. Tell them that I am sorry and that I tried. Tell them that I loved them all and please thank them for me. If it weren't for them…I probably wouldn't have the courage to fight at all. It's only because of them that I am willing to fight and that's because I still have a lot to say. I hope that I get the chance to say it._

Evelyn's eyes were closed as she knelt on the floor, trying hard to concentrate on the message she hoped to leave behind. Tears streaked down her face as she relayed her message in her head over and over, trying hard to burn it into her soul as Michelle suggested. It was only moments after Raphael left the darkness that Michelle told her everything about her situation and gave her a choice. She had chosen to fight for her life and to save Michelle's soul, but she worried that she would disappoint the turtles if she failed. She wanted to work hard so that she wouldn't have to leave them. Still, hopefully the message she wanted to relay would burn into her memory and into her soul. Just in case.

"Are you ready?" asked Michelle.

Evelyn took a deep breath, wiped her cheeks and opened her eyes to look up at Michelle.  
"…I am," she replied, rising to her feet, "I'm ready to go back."

"And you know what you have to do?"

"…I have to take down Carling and..set Christopher free. …Which means…I have to kill them…"  
Evelyn repeated these instructions with difficulty. She didn't like the thought of taking a life, but if it was what needed to be done in order to save herself and help Michelle and Christopher, she had to put an end to all this suffering.

Michelle smiled at Evelyn with sympathetic eyes and held out her hands for her.  
"Then I will send you back. I do not know if the other souls will leave you after Christopher is gone, but I'm sure that with the turtles help…you can save them too. Perhaps…you can even live a normal life…"

"What about the sun? Will I be able to step into the light?"

"That I don't know. …my body has been kept alive by dark magic. I don't know if it is my original disease or not, but the dark energy inside of my body…it can't survive in the light. I also…don't know how long this body will remain viable once my brother and Carling are gone. …I may be sending you to your grave soon after us…"

Evelyn bit her bottom lip and tried to push those particular concerns to the back of her mind. She wanted to be hopeful and believe that everything would turn out okay after all this. If she didn't have hope, there was no point in fighting. She gathered her courage one more time and placed her hands in Michelle's. Both girls closed their eyes now. Evelyn began to feel a sharp pain in her chest and her lungs seemed unable to take in much air. Michelle however, was unaffected. She gripped Evelyn's hands to keep her steady.

"You're going back, but my body is damaged. The turtles are trying to save you, but you need to try as well. You have to fight. Don't let my brother do this to anyone else. You won't understand this now, but you and Leonardo have something in common now. I don't understand it all myself, but it's how you knew he was captured and it's how he is going to know exactly how to save you. …Still, you have to fight. Don't give up, Evelyn. …You can't give up…"

Evelyn could hear her, but it was hard to process everything she was saying when the pain in her chest intensified. A connection to Leonardo? Was it because she liked him? Questioning all that now was difficult as she tried to focus on breathing. It felt as though she was trying to catch her breath in a room with no air and that someone was squeezing her heart inside of her chest. Still, she tried hard to focus on the things that made her happiest and the people she was fighting for. Without realizing it, she began to whisper a small mantra out loud, "Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, April, Master Splinter"

She repeated their names slowly under her breath to keep her focused and it numbed the pain slightly. If she was going to fight for her life, she had to remember what she had to look forward to when this was all over and that was her friends.

Outside of the Darkness, Raphael gasped for air; as if he were taking his first breath, waking in the middle of the trees alone. Michelle had brought him back to the waking world and it didn't take him long to remember the conversation he had with her inside of the darkness. _Evelyn was dying_. Raphael scrambled to his feet and turned towards the mansion in order to get to her as quickly as possible. Michelle asked him if he were willing to save her no matter what, and he was determined to do just that. Though he probably wasn't thinking about what that would actually entail and unaware of what Michelle had told her.

While Raphael made a dash for the house, his brothers were still doing what they could to keep Evelyn alive. Leonardo was banking on the fact that the black liquid would keep her going until they could close up her wound. Once Donatello was awake and he was able to get past the horrific sight in front of him, he focused on making sure Evelyn opened her eyes as soon as possible.

"Okay, I think I got it now," started Donatello as he wiped his blood stained hands off on the sheet of the bed. "Leo...I'm gonna need you to pull the knife out of her chest...and as soon as you do that...we can close up the wound. If what you said about this stuff is true...she should be okay."

Mikey anxiously kept a hold of Eve's hand and looked at his brothers as they discussed what to do. He could feel a faint pulse from her wrist, but it was of little comfort when he could still see her bleeding to the floor. He didn't like that Leo was basing all this on some strange black ooze that they knew nothing about. He had to put his faith in Donatello and hope that Eve would be opening her eyes and smiling again soon.

Leonardo got up onto the hospital bed and straddled Eve's waist in order to get a good grip on the knife. He took a deep breath as he grasped the handle with both hands and waited for the right moment to pull it from her. He had to admit that he was pretty scared himself. He wasn't exactly sure if this was the same black liquid that had healed him earlier, but how else could she possibly still be clinging to life otherwise? His own heart was beating wildly and he could feel it pounding against his shell as he stared down at Evelyn's face. She looked like she was sleeping, but having a bad dream. He could only hope she wasn't in a lot of pain right now. Most of her raven hair was soaked in her own blood and her white hospital gown had almost completely changed color as it absorbed the crimson liquid. It was hard to look at, but it didn't feel right to look away when she was suffering so much.

"Okay... **NOW!** " Donatello shouted as he leaned over the hospital bed a bit, holding clean gauze that he had salvaged. He wasn't as confident in this as Leonardo seemed to be, but whatever they were going to do, they needed to do it fast.

Mikey gripped Eve's hand and closed his eyes tight when Leonardo took in another deep breath, gathering the courage to pull the knife from Eve's heart in one swift movement. It was as if everything moved in slow motion while Donatello rushed in and put pressure against the open wound, trying to give the black liquid that was pumping into her body enough time to close the gap. That is, if Leonardo's theory was correct. It didn't take too long for Eve to react to what they were doing. Once the blade was pulled from her chest, Evelyn gasped. Her body lurched and blood erupted from her mouth as she began to choke. Mikey gasped and released her hand at once, rushing to tilt her head to the side so she didn't have to choke any further.

Leonardo removed himself from the bed as quickly as he could, watching in wide eyed horror as Donatello attempted to stop all the bleeding and Mikey kept her from choking on her own blood. Was he wrong? Had he just killed her? His hands trembled and it was only then that he realized he was still holding the knife in his hand. The turtle flinched and released it at once, dropping the blade to the floor.

" _Leo."_

Leonardo gasped when he heard Eve's voice ring in his head. Standing to his right was a vision of Evelyn, clean and healthy as if nothing had harmed her. He opened his mouth to speak to her, but the girl put her finger to her lips and shook her head with a smile. In silence, Leonardo watched as Eve turned to him and held out her hand for his own. He didn't know where this was going, but for some reason, he didn't question it. He complied and reached out his hand to take hers.

"Eve, tell me how to help you," pleaded Leonardo, not bothering to question this illusion.

Evelyn's gaze softened as she looked into Leonardo's eyes. She took his hand in hers and brought it slowly to her face. Before Leo could question what she was doing, the girl quickly opened her mouth and bit down on palm. The turtle flinched, but he didn't pull away. A small shiver ran up his back as they kept their eyes on one another while Eve drew blood with her teeth, allowing it to drip from her lips along his wrist. Leonardo seemed transfixed by what she was doing and quite unable to move while Eve pulled away slightly and guided his hand to her chest. She placed his bloody palm just over her heart, never taking her gaze from his eyes.

At first, Leonardo was confused. She hadn't said a word and he didn't understand what any of this meant. Perhaps he should have been questioning why he was seeing this. Why he wasn't feeling any pain, or why it all seemed so natural to have these visions. Still, none of this even crossed his mind. He stared into Eve's eyes for just a moment before looking down at her chest once more. He was bleeding more than he should have been, but the blood wasn't falling to the ground. Instead, his blood seemed to soak into Eve's white dress and stain the area around her heart and only there. His eyes widened when he finally realized what she was trying to tell him. He gasped, pulled his hand from her chest, and in doing so, the vision vanished and he was snapped back into reality. Evelyn was gone and he was no longer bleeding, but now he knew what he had to do. It sounded insane and his brothers would no doubt think he had lost his mind, but somehow, he just knew this was what needed to be done. He didn't waste any more time and snatched up the knife once more, bringing the blade to his palm and cutting into the skin to draw blood.

" **MOVE!** " Leonardo shouted as he pushed Donatello from Evelyn. His brothers didn't even have time to react before he plunged his bloody hand against her open wound as gently as possible. He was still afraid to hurt her any further, but he was so sure this would work. Donnie and Mikey both moved to pull their brother from their wounded friend, but before they could, a wind began to swirl around Evelyn and Leonardo, pushing Mikey and Donatello away. Leonardo grit his teeth as the wind circled around them. It was making it very hard to breathe; but somehow, he knew he had to endure it. If he could just wait this out, Evelyn would be okay. He was the leader. Evelyn had become so much like a little sister and Raphael cared for her so much that he just had to save her. He wouldn't let them down. He just couldn't.

The wind picked up and the harder it blew around them, it was harder for Leo to stand beside Evelyn. It was as if the wind wanted to lift him from the ground and it was beginning to succeed. His feet were slowly being pulled from the ground and just when he thought he would be blown away, Evelyn's eyes snapped open and his feet found the ground once more.

"Evelyn!" he exclaimed, his lungs seemingly no longer bothered by the wind that swirled around them.

Leonardo pulled his hand from her chest and smiled at his friend, gripping the edge of the hospital bed in order to keep himself grounded by her side. Their blood mixed together inside of Evelyn's heart and with a great pulse through her body, the wound closed up as if it had never been there in the first place. It took Leo a moment to notice however, that they still were not out of the woods yet. Evelyn took her first real breath and her left eye became completely black with a strange dark energy seeping from it like a smoke.

As his brothers did their best to save Eve, Raphael was dashing into the mansion. As he rushed to find them, he noticed all the fallen maids and butlers. Had his brothers fought their way through here like this? No. It was too excessive. All the maids and butlers were holding knives, but they were down on the ground and huddled over amongst a lot of blood.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

A familiar voice rang in his ears and before he had a moment to turn around, Karai landed in beside the turtle and pulled his hand behind his back.

"What are you doing?!" he demanded as he wrenched his arm free, grabbing his Sai and turning defensively on Karai.

"Sorry, but I'm not letting you see the girl. Not yet," replied Karai.

"What? Why?! They captured you too! Why are you helping them?!"

Karai didn't answer Raphael; instead, her expression seemed pained and almost torn. He only caught a glimpse of this troubled girl's face before she launched herself forward and slashed at his chest. He barely had enough time to back up on his heel and avoid any damage. Clearly she wasn't going to answer him and if she was determined to keep him from Eve, he would have to fight his way through.

 **A/N: AHHHH! I am SO SORRY that this chapter is SO LATE! I promise that I tried to finish it sooner, but with the holidays fast approaching, I had to do a lot of traveling and deal with a LOT of family drama upon my return to the United States. Please let me know what you think, your reviews really motivate me to get these chapters out faster. I hope you all like it so far and will continue to stick with this story until the end. I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thanks for your patience and I will try much harder to get chapter 25 out as soon as possible. Love you all!**


	25. A Hostage Situation

**Chapter Twenty-Five: A Hostage Situation**

Raphael and Karai were scuffling in the entranceway, ensuring that neither one of them would have the upper-hand. Not one of them was giving an inch, as if each one had something to lose. Karai yielded both of her blades as she attempted to push Raphael back out of the mansion, but he refused to allow that.

"I don't have time for this," growled the turtle as he swept her feet from under her and turned to pin her arms to the floor with his sai. It was pure luck that he was able to get one of his Sai to hold her left wrist to the floor by plunging it down into the wood. He pinned her legs in between his own and used all the strength he had to hold her down so that she would have to listen to him.  
"This is enough! I don't care why you are doing this, but I don't have time to deal with you! I have to get to my brothers."

Karai didn't struggle; she only stared up at Raphael. Her expression was almost lost and a lump formed in her throat.  
"So if you had to choose…would you choose your brothers over that girl?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Because it's not an easy choice to make," continued Karai. "Luckily for me though, that girl is a stranger. If I have to trade her for what I want, then so be it, but can you do the same?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about, but I don't have to choose anything," replied Raphael adamantly.

"That's what you think, but I don't intend to go back on what I chose now. I made my decision."

Raphael didn't have a chance to respond before the floor beneath them began to shake. He lost his focus on Karai and didn't notice her arms quick shift to mutant form. Her snake-like limbs slithered fast from his grip and twisted her body to get out from beneath him.

"I wasted too much time on you," she hissed.

As Raphael scrambled to his feet, Karai was already rushing down the long hallway towards the stairwell. Raphael cursed under his breath and dashed after her. Now they were both running towards the same thing, but for very different reasons. For whatever the reason, Karai was aiming to let Eve die and Raphael wasn't about to allow that. The mansion was trembling beneath their feet while they both desperately tried to reach their goal faster than the other.

The source of the fissure was still swirling around Leonardo and Evelyn, forcing Mikey and Donatello back up against the monitors that were secured to the walls of the lab. The pressure caused by the small whirlwind was more than they could take. It was almost too difficult to breath, but each brother was still struggling to the middle of the room in order to get Leonardo and Evelyn out from inside of the small whirlwind. Though it appeared to be only wind, they could hear anguished screams along the gusts that pressed them to the walls of the room.

In the eye of the storm, Evelyn had only just awoken. Leonardo had disregarded the wind for the moment in order to help Eve sit up. In truth, the wind no longer bothered his lungs; his focus had shifted to Evelyn's left eye that was still pitch black and protruding a thick smoke that evaporated in an instant. It wasn't until he got her to sit up that he noticed the petrified look on her face.

"Make it stop," Evelyn gasped out, bringing her hand to her blackened eye and covering with her palm. "Make it stop! I can hear them all! They're screaming! They won't stop screaming!"

Leonardo wasn't sure what she was talking about. He couldn't hear any screaming, but Evelyn looked desperate and shaken. Tears flowed from her right eye as she swung her feet over the edge of the hospital bed to stand on her own. Once she was no longer in bed, it was gathered up by the wind and tossed away like nothing.

Leonardo watched it blow away and the reality of the situation started to seep in. Until now, his mind seemed almost fogged over. It was as if his mind had been constricted to thought of simply keeping Evelyn safe and that narrow focus was putting others in danger at this very moment. Were his brothers in this storm as well? He looked around in a panic, but there didn't seem to be a way out of this storm. Besides; from the look of it all, Evelyn was the center. He stepped in front of Eve and tried to steal focus from her panic.

"Evelyn! There is no screaming! You need to look at me!"

The raven haired young woman was unsteady on her feet, covering her left eye and unable to hear anything over the sounds of the tormented cries in her head. The hate and sorrow of the other girls fragmented souls were being set loose inside of her and she could hear them all now. They were scratching and clawing at her mind, desperately, angrily trying to escape and take over. Each one wanted control for revenge or perhaps for a little piece of life once more. Evelyn was struggling to keep her own mind while others tried to take it from her. She kept her hand over her blackened eye in a small attempt to keep the darkness inside of herself somehow while she barely stayed on her staggering feet.

"EVE!" Leonardo shouted far above the screams before he wrapped his right arm around her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. He knew how Raphael would shock Evelyn back to reality, but he couldn't kiss her. Not just for shock value. It wouldn't have been fair. He knew how Evelyn felt; at least he could guess. He didn't want to give her false hope. Still, he wanted to help her. She seemed to be in so much pain. He closed his eyes tight and held her close, hoping he could think of a way to bring her back from whatever hell she was seeing.

"L-leo…?" Evelyn's voice came out in a meek whisper.

"It's me. Don't listen to anything else, Eve. There are no screams. The others are waiting for us, we have to go." He spoke as clear and even as he possibly could. He wasn't sure what was happening, but one of them had to remain calm. It was like he just knew what she needed from him. Like a brother comforting his sister. He pulled back a little so that he could see her face. She was crying. Tears streaked from her right eye and she slowly brought down her hand to reveal her blackened eye while she looked back at Leonardo.

"I-I…I can hear them all…" she whimpered, "…they won't stop. Please…make them stop…"

Leonardo could hear the pain and desperation in her voice. He kept his gaze even as he looked at her now. If they were going to get out of this, he knew that he had to get Eve's mind set right. "I'm here with you Eve, but I can't hear what you hear. Only you can make it stop. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere, so you need to pull yourself together and we'll go back to everyone together."

His voice was clear and he seemed unafraid of what was happening around them. In a way; it was comforting. As if he was the rock she could cling to in the middle of this raging river. His bright blue eyes were so calming for her. Was it because Michelle remembered her brother's eyes when his mind was still there? Or was it because his eyes were the first thing she saw when she woke in the sewers? Either way, it was something to focus on. Evelyn looked into his eyes and silently reminded herself of whom she was. Her name was Evelyn. The turtles were here to help her, but she couldn't just lay back and be saved. She had to try and save herself.

As Evelyn did her best to focus and silence the screams in her head, the wind slowly began to die down. She gripped her head and closed her eyes. "I'm Evelyn," she shouted desperately. "I'm Evelyn!"  
Leonardo kept an arm around Eve as she shouted and struggled. He knew he couldn't really help her do this. It was something she had to do on her own, but he wasn't about to abandon her while she fought. Still, he wished there was something he could do to make it easier.

Neither Raphael nor Karai were sure what they would find when they reached their goal, but they didn't expect to see a whirlwind in the middle of the room. When they had burst open the metal doors, both were pushed back by the pressure of the wind. Karai's snake-like reflexes helped in times such as these. Her mutated arm latched onto the door with its teeth and prevented her from being blown back into the hallway. Raphael was quick as well. He only had a moment, but he was able to ram his Sai blades into the frame of the door. The wind was strong and he could see that it had both Mikey and Donnie pinned to the walls, but he couldn't see Leo or Evelyn. He struggled to keep his eyes open in order to scan the room, but they were nowhere to be found. It didn't take long for him to surmise where they were however.

There was no way for him to reach the middle of the room through this wind. Not even if he used his Sai to climb along the walls. He looked to his side to see that Karai was still hanging onto the door and he was sure that she was also trying to think of a way through.

"EVE! LEO!" Raphael shouted over the wind with all he had. He wasn't sure if they could hear him, but he wasn't about to give up on reaching either of them. Karai told him that he would have to choose, but that was not something he was about to do. He would get them both out of this mansion.

Leonardo and Evelyn both flinched slightly when they heard Raphael's voice. For the both of them, it rang so clearly over the wind and the screams. Evelyn's eyes snapped open and all at once, the screaming in her head was silenced.

"Raphael?" she said aloud.

The moment she said his name, the wind died in an instant. Her blackened eye vanished and everything being blown up by the wind smashed to the floor around them. Mikey and Donnie each took a deep breath as they slid down towards the floor, catching their breath.

Evelyn and Leonardo stood in the middle of the room, a little confused and bewildered. It all ended just as quickly as it began, but neither of them were entirely sure why. Still, they didn't have a lot of time to wonder why since Karai slithered fast towards the two of them. Raphael lunged forward and grabbed Karai's tail, holding her back and giving Leonardo enough time to place himself in front of Evelyn defensively.

"Karai?! What are you doing back here?" asked Leonardo in surprise.

"Get away from her, Leo!" Was all Karai said in reply as she struggled to pull her tail from Raphael's grip.

Leonardo pulled out his Katana and stood his ground. "I can't do that, Karai," he stated evenly.

Evelyn wasn't sure why Karai was after _her_ now, but there was a lot to process in a short amount of time. She had control over her body for the moment and while she had that control she had to find Christopher and end this. Michelle couldn't be free if he was allowed to continue on like this. She scanned the room as quickly as she could, but didn't see him, only rubble and debris caused by the wind. Mikey and Donatello were still catching their breath, but they seemed fine, so at least she could take a little solace in that.

"That's **enough**!"

Everyone froze when they heard Carling shout. All eyes shot towards the doorway where they saw Carling and Christopher standing there. Carling was cloaked in black once again and her face was covered by shadow. Christopher was holding an unconscious April over his shoulder like a large sack. Evelyn and the turtles flinched slightly at the sight of their friend being held by the enemy and Eve especially didn't like the sight of it since she knew exactly what Chris did with young women.

"Let her go!" Evelyn demanded, lunging forward to get to April, but Leonardo put his arm out to hold her back.

"A—April...!" Donatello tried to get to his feet, but his lungs had not yet caught up with him. He cursed his luck that he was not able to rush to her right away.

"What do you mean, ' _that's enough_?!'" Karai repeated angrily. "What about our deal? What about—"

"I haven't forgotten our deal," interrupted Carling, "but there is no point in going any further tonight. The sun will be rising soon. You can leave…and I'll show our guests to the door."

Karai looked as if she were running the options over in her mind and it almost seemed as though she wasn't going to listen, but after an angry huff, Karai vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

Raphael scoffed angrily, pointing a Sai at Carling, but not stepping forward in case they did something to April as a result.  
"Show us to the door?" he repeated sardonically, "Are you kidding me? You think after all this we are just gonna go home and forget about it?"

"Yes," began Carling, "and you'll leave Lady Michelle behind as well. Or this girl will be forfeit."

"You can't do that!" Evelyn demanded, still being held back by Leonardo. "Michelle doesn't want you to do this anymore!"

Christopher flinched just a bit and he took in a sharp breath. "What do you mean?" he commanded.

Evelyn leaned over Leonardo's arm as he struggled to keep her from squirming away.  
"Michelle told me! She's here! She doesn't want any of this! She never did. Please! If you really loved your sister, you would let her go!"

Christopher opened his mouth to shout back, but Carling pulled back her hood and startled him into silence. Her expression was wildly amused and horrifyingly curious as she stared at Evelyn and Leonardo. Without saying another word, Carling burst out in shrill laughter. Everyone stared at her in curious caution. Her laugh was frightening, but almost childlike and not one of them knew what it meant.

"Y—you drank it! You drank it didn't you?" Carling asked Leonardo through bursts of laughter. Leonardo didn't move or speak, but his silence was more than enough for Carling. She grinned from ear to ear and her wild expression became all the more manic as she laughed again. "That's hilarious! It's as if—Hah!-History is repeating itself! It's just like back then!"

Evelyn had stopped struggling to get free of Leonardo at this point. She glanced up at him now with curiosity and concern.  
"You…drank the dark liquid?" she asked knowingly.

Leonardo looked a little uncomfortable now, as if he really didn't want to admit it.  
"I wanted to help you guys and…we all saw it cure you before," he answered finally.

Suddenly; Evelyn was reminded of what Michelle had said about a connection between herself and Leonardo. Was this it? Was it because he now had the same thing in his body as she did hers? Perhaps she should have been alarmed by this. She still didn't really know what the black ooze was or what it might really do to Leonardo, but it actually comforted her a little. As if she wasn't alone. Despite the atmosphere, she found herself smiling a little.

"Isn't it touching, sir?" Carling began again as she caught her breath from laughter, "Another brother and sister pair."

Raphael and the others were a little confused by Carling's sudden change in mood. None were quite sure what she was going to do next. Both Carling and Chris seemed so unstable in their actions and no one really knew what their actual goal was.

"I like the red ribbon, do you like it?" asked Christopher with a furious expression.

Leonardo and Raphael both panicked internally when Chris asked that question. They had witnessed those words shut Evelyn down before and sure enough, they turned their attention to her just in time to watch her body go limp. Leonardo leaned in quickly to make sure she didn't fall to the ground, but now they had another problem to deal with while trying to escape.

"Don't touch her!" Chris shouted in a frantic rage, dropping April's body to the ground with little regard to the damage it might cause. The turtles all flinched and Donatello's expression changed quickly from concern to rage. He wasn't about to let April be treated like a rag doll.

They didn't have a lot of time to think anymore. Leonardo could see that Donnie's patience had peeked, Evelyn was out of commission for the moment, and April was at the mercy of a very unstable man. He had to think of a way out of this. At the very least, get Eve and April out of this mansion and put them somewhere safe. His gaze darted from Evelyn to April, frantically trying to come up with something. In the midst of his internal panic, something caught his eye. April opened her eye just a little. She was clearly in pain and appeared to be a little weak, but she seemed determined to keep her consciousness a secret. She moved her head ever so slightly to signal Leonardo in a way and he understood. The wheels turned in his head and now he actually had a little hope that they could get everyone out of here.

 **A/N: Sorry! I know a lot wasn't solved in this chapter, but I had to cut it off or it would run on too long. Again, leave me reviews, please! They really motivate me to write the chapters faster!  
The holidays are over and I think I can finally get my life back to normal. Hurray!  
Oh! Happy New Year, everyone!**

 **Also, I'm thinking about doing Extra short stories about Eve and the turtles. Let me know if you would like that or not. See you all next Chapter! Love you all!**


	26. Wake Up

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Wake up**

Leonardo kept his eyes on Chris while he slowly placed Evelyn down on the ground.  
"Okay…I won't touch her," he started cautiously, trying to keep Christopher calm so that he wouldn't hurt April any further. They were going to have to play this a little smarter since they were dealing with someone so unhinged. He stepped back from Evelyn and rose his hands slightly, "if you bring us April…we'll give you Evel—"

"— **Michelle!** " Christopher snapped.

"Right, we'll give you _Michelle_ ," repeated Leo.

Raphael turned to his brother and looked as though he was about to protest, but Leonardo shook his head with a determined gaze. Raphael backed off begrudgingly, biting his tongue and doing his best to trust that Leonardo had a plan.

Christopher didn't seem to waste any time in taking the bait. He was far too eager to have his sister's body back.  
"Go get her," he commanded Carling at once.

Carling scooped up April's body, carrying her princess style as she walked towards the turtles. Donatello's patience was wavering on a very thin line as he watched April being carried over. It took all he had not to rush to her side and snatch her up from the woman. He clenched his fists tight, trembling slightly while he did his best to restrain himself.

The turtles watched anxiously and the tension rose with each step that Carling took towards Evelyn.  
When she was just close enough, Leonardo discretely caught Raphael's attention and guided his gaze towards April, hoping he would understand.  
April herself, was keeping her breathing steady, waiting for the right time to make a move. She didn't think she could take Carling down completely, but at the very least it would be a distraction. She cracked open her eye just a bit in order to see how close they were to Eve. She held her breath and waited until they were just close enough and Carling seemed ready to place her down beside Evelyn and make the exchange.

The moment Carling leaned down, April reached up in a flash and hooked her arm around Carling's neck, pushing her feet down and pulling the cloaked woman down with her. The turtles didn't waste the chance she was giving them. Raphael rushed in, grabbing Evelyn and heading for the door. Leonardo followed Raph's lead and dashed in front of him to clear the way, wielding both his swords and readying himself to push past Chris to get Raph and Evelyn out safely.  
Donatello and Michelangelo knew what they had to do the instant Raphael went for the door. Donnie was already on his way to help April and Mikey jumped up along the debris to reach the skylight and open another exit.

So much was happening at once that Carling wasn't quite sure what to do. The sun was going to rise soon. She couldn't use too much energy before that, but if she didn't get Michelle's body back, Christopher would be furious. She couldn't waste her time with the others. If only she hadn't sent the foot soldiers away. She wrenched herself from Aprils grip and quickly turned around to focus on the hot tempered turtle that was making his escape with Evelyn.

April reached over to grab Carling's cloak and keep her there, but before she was able to do so, Donnie put his arm around her waist and scooped her up to carry her out.

"I had her!" April insisted as she was carried off.

"Don't worry about it, we have a plan!" Donatello replied quickly.

April looked back just in time to see Mikey grab a discarded cable from one of the machines and throw it around Carlings ankles to keep her from going after Raphael right away. The redhead smiled and allowed Donatello to carry her without a struggle now. She just had to hope that everyone would meet up back at the shell raiser as planned.

Carling had toppled to the ground and barely caught herself with her hands before hitting her chin on the marble floor. She looked back to see the freckled turtle grinning at her. Her gaze darted from Donatello escaping through the skylight with April, to Raphael and Leonardo heading towards Chris with Evelyn. Her heart started to pound rapidly in her chest and her breathing came in fast gasps. Everything was falling apart so quickly and just when she thought she was going to get what she wanted. Dr. Conners had almost taken it from her before and now these freaks were about to make her wait _another_ hundred years?! Not if she could help it. The sun be damned. She was not going to lose everything and start all over again!

As Carling's emotions swirled inside of her like an oncoming storm, her shadow began to stir. Michelangelo kept a grip on the cable around her ankles, but he began to panic slightly when he saw the dark shadows slither around Carling like snakes.

"Uhhh—guys, we might have a problem!" Michelangelo shouted in warning.

Raphael and Leonardo turned their attention to Carling for only a moment, but it seemed just enough of an opening for Christopher to lunge at Leonardo in an attempt to get to Raphael and his sister. Leonardo wasn't exactly prepared, tumbling with Christopher to the floor at first before he caught his footing once again. It became clear that he was stronger than the average human and it though they grappled, it proved difficult to push him off.

"Get Eve out of here!" Insisted Leonardo as he and Christopher wrestled.

"And fast!" Added Mikey, pulling hard at the cable in order to keep Carling from getting away.

Raphael looked between his brothers. He didn't want to leave them. His brothers always seemed to put themselves before others and even though he would do the same for them, he was greedy. He wanted everyone to be safe. He didn't want a trade off. Why couldn't they all get out?

"RAPH! MOVE!" Mikey snapped, noting the shadows that slithered out in order to reach Evelyn and take her back.

The turtle flinched and on reflex quickly dashed for the open door. _Goddammit!_ He thought as he carried the unconscious Evelyn to towards an exit.

Leonardo had only just managed to pin Christopher to the ground when Mikey howled out in pain. With a quick glance, Leonardo gasped to see his little brother dropping to the floor with his body constricted by what appeared to be the shadows of human hands outstretched to an insane degree.

"GIVE HER BACK OR I'LL KILL HIM!" Carling screeched breathlessly as she glared in Raphael's direction just before he reached the door. Raphael turned around at once and though Leonardo attempted to move, Carling slammed her fist against the floor, causing Mikey to shout before a shadow covered his mouth and nose. "DON'T MOVE," demanded Carling. "Let my master go!"

There wasn't a moment of hesitation when Leonardo jumped back from Christopher and allowed the man to go free. Mikey was shaking his head and muffling something in protest, but both Leo and Raphael were not willing to risk his life. Both turtles stood together now near the exit, unwilling to leave while Mikey was being

 _Wake up. If you don't wake up...you'll lose someone again._

A voice called out to Evelyn as she sat in the dark. A dark abyss where she felt nothing, Remembered nothing, and needed nothing. The voice had barely shaken her from the silent nothing that she had engulfed herself in. She raised her head a little, looking up into the void, her eyes void of life.

"Lose someone?" She repeated curiously, "who can I lose?"

 _Someone you love. You'll lose them again. Just like before._

"Before?"

 _Yes. ...you have to wake up. You have to leave this place._

"I can't leave."

 _You must...Soon you'll be like them. Like the angry voices in your head. You said you wouldn't let the madness take you. You promised to go back to your friends. To the ones you love._

A light shined gently around Evelyn's arm and it caught her attention. She glanced down and turned her hand to look at the bite mark on her wrist.

"Michelangelo," she whispered softly as her eyes slowly started to regain a bit of life.

 _Wake up. Help them. Finish this._

Evelyn continued to stare at the faded bite mark before she nodded her head. "...I need to help them. I need to leave."

 _There is one more thing I must ask of you. ...Please..._

Without warning Evelyn gasped for air and startled The turtle that held her in his arms. It was as if she hadn't skipped beat in what was going on. Raphael barely had a moment to react when Eve wriggled from his arms and rushed to her feet.

"Eve, wait!" Leonardo warned as he and his brother both reached out to grab her. Neither one wanted to risk Mikey's safety with rash actions.

Evelyn stopped running towards an expectant Carling and Christopher, but she didn't turn back to look at the turtles. She kept her eyes squarely on Mikey while he struggled to breath with the shadows covering mouth. The freckled turtles met Eve's eyes and he shook his head slowly. He didn't want her to get close. Still, Evelyn smiled at him. This was all her fault. Mikey, Leo, Raphael...they had all come here for her and now they were being forced to choose between leaving without her or helping Mikey. That wasn't much of a choice. When Eve looked at Carling, it was quickly noted how worn out she seemed. The cloaked woman was panting for breath and sweat was dripping down her brow while she used her shadows to hold Mikey. Evelyn didn't move, but she looked up at the broken skylight and saw that the darkness of night was slowly being soaked up by the light of day. Carling was running out of time, but Mikey wouldn't be able to wait that long for breath. None of them had that kind of time.

"Come, Michelle. Let's end this," pleaded Christopher. He held out his arms for her as she stood in the middle of the floor.

"Shut up!" Raphael growled, stepping forward and reaching out a hand cautiously for Evelyn. "Come back, Eve. I promise we'll get Mikey."

"No," snapped Evelyn evenly. "He's right. We need to end this." She didn't say any more, but she finally turned her head to glance over her shoulder to look at him. Raphael was confused by her serene expression, but Leonardo just stared back at her blankly.

Without another word Evelyn turned back and darted towards Christopher. Carling seemed relieved to see Eve rushing towards her brother and Chris shared that relief. It looked to him as if his little sister was running back into his arms. Though Her brother seemed blinded by his love for his sister, Carling and the Turtles couldn't help but notice that she was quickly pulling something from the slip of her blood soaked hospital gown.

Raphael gasped lightly and swiftly looked down at his side where he kept one of his Sai. It was gone. Had she taken it in the brief moment she was conscious in his arms. All three seemed to come to the same conclusion at once and Leonardo reached out as he made to follow her.

"Evelyn! Stop!" Leonardo pleaded in a panic. He wasn't entirely sure what she had planned, but with a quick assumption, it was enough to cause alarm. He didn't want to kill anyone. They could end this another way.

Carling had all but forgotten about Mikey and her shadows released him quickly in her desperate attempt to reach Christopher. The freckled turtle gasped for air even as he tried to scramble to his feet, but both he and Carling were physically weak from different circumstances. Though they were closest to the situation, neither were able to stop her.

It seemed everyone had only just began to move when Evelyn finally rushed into Christopher's arms. The crazed man had a sweet look of relief on his face as he wrapped his arms around his sister, but that happiness was short lived.

"I'm sorry..." Evelyn whispered with a trembling voice.

Christophers eyes widened and he seemed unable to speak. Perhaps because he was now focused on breathing. Once He had wrapped his arms around her, Evelyn took Raphael's Sai and pushed it hard into his chest. His expression was locked in shock even as blood began to drip from his mouth. He glanced down just as Evelyn looked up to meet his eyes. Her gaze was clear and determined, but glistened with tears. The hue of her left eye had changed from it's regular shade of hazel to the same bright blue in which stared back at her with.

"Mi...Michelle...?" Christopher breathed out weakly.

A/N: I feel as though I am always apologizing for late chapters. I am so sorry. Life always seems to get in the way. I am still able to post some art on Tumblr. Still, I am already working on the next chapter, so hopefully that will be posted much sooner. Also, I know this chapter was short, but I needed to end it here in order for the next chapter to flow properly. Sorry again. I love you all! Please check my Tumblr for updates and special illustrations of this story if you get antsy.  
Starscheme is my username in both sites.


	27. No Words

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: No Words**

Evelyn couldn't help the tears that streaked down her cheeks as she ran towards Christopher's open arms. How could this man not see the horrible guilt and pain that caused her tears? He was welcoming her happily to his side, when she was clearly devastated. The Sai she had swiped from Raphael's side was barely concealed beneath the hospital gown that was covered in her blood. Did he simply choose not see her intentions?

Her chest hurt. A limp formed in her throat. Her feet were cold and in pain as she ran barefoot through the broken glass and debris. All of this was true, but her physical pain was secondary to what she was now feeling inside. She was about to take a life. She may not really know who she was in the past, but she could only hope that that person would feel just as torn about this as she is now.

 _I have one more favor to ask of you...please...let me help you. Let me use the last of what I am to help you do this. He's my brother. He started all of this because of me. I can't ask you to carry all of the burden._

 _"Use the last of you?" repeated Evelyn, "what does that mean? What will happen to you?"_

 _I will use the last of what strength I have to share this body. To take control of it as best I can. ...and after...I will cease to be. That's how this should end._

 _"I don't know if I can really kill him..."_

 _If you don't...my soul can never be free. ...your friends will die. My brother I'll remove anyone in his way. Can you really let them die?_

She remembered all of what Michelle said inside of the darkness just before she woke up. Though her heart wavered the closer she got to Chris with the blade, she only had to remember what she was protecting. **Who** she was protecting. Michelle also did exactly as she promised. Evelyn could feel she was no longer alone in this. Was it Michelle's feelings for her brother that made Evelyn feel so completely broken over this?

When Evelyn finally reached Christopher, the first thing she felt were his arms wrapping around her slender frame. His embrace was warm and it felt so calm there. It broke her heart. More tears flooded from her eyes as she gripped the Sai and took a deep, trembling breath.

"I'm sorry..." She breathed through a choked sob just before she plunged the blade into his chest. It was all done as quickly as possible before she lost her nerve. She had to. If she waited any longer she wouldn't be able to do it. Did these feelings belong to Michelle, or to Evelyn herself? She couldn't be sure. Sharing her body with Michelle like this, it felt so much like two people melding into one. Separate feelings, different memories, all mixing together to make an entirely new person. It was hard to determine who she actually was right now. Not Michelle, not Evelyn, something together and in between. No matter what or who she was now, her heart was breaking, her tears wouldn't stop, and her hands trembled while her brother and captor bled out.

"Mi...Michelle...?" Christopher whispered in disbelief as he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.

She knew he was looking at her and the least she could do was meet his gaze. She lifted her head slowly and made sure not to look away. Her vision was blurred by her tears, but the betrayal and shock on his face was clear. She held her breath and grit her teeth as she tightened her grip on the blade.

"I'm sorry!" She sobbed once again, losing her composure altogether now. "My poor, twisted brother. ...please...let me end your pain. ...let me end **my** pain..." Evelyn pleaded desperately. She couldn't help but apologize over and over. There was no forgiveness for either of them now. There couldn't be. All the lives he had taken in pursuit of her, their souls were still screaming and crying, but she was no better. She had just stabbed a man. Her brother. The brother that she loved so dearly. Her tears rushed down her cheeks and within all the madness, she could hear everyone clearly making their way towards them. This would be over soon, though it felt as if time had stopped for the siblings, that time was coming to a close. Evelyn's hands shook horribly as she prepared herself to remove the blade and allow Christopher to bleed out, but when she felt another hand cover hers, she flinched. Her brother had put his hand over hers and his shocked expression had shifted into a smile despite their circumstances.

She was confused at first and it was clearly reflected in her eyes. Christopher brought his other free hand to her cheek and pressed his palm to her skin gently. "You're back. ...I can finally...see your eyes..." He whispered as drops of blood spilled from his mouth. Eve's eyes went wide and she found herself openly sobbing now. Like a child lost and alone, she cried unashamedly. Christopher removed her hands from the blade and pulled the Sai out himself, causing a gasp and lose of balance for the man. Evelyn reacted at once and allowed the blade to fall as she caught her brother before he hit the floor. Christopher was smiling as he knelt with her , his head draped over her shoulder as she held him tight.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Evelyn sobbed, looking over his shoulder as she held him with trembling hands. This had to be Michelle's feelings for her brother. The complete mix of emptiness and pain. It was too much.

"If it's...you...I don't mind..." breathed out Christopher weakly. His blood pouring out slowly and puddling around them. "...because...there is nothing...I would deny you. Not even this. ...I love..." His voice was barely audible now, especially over her sobbing, but she heard him, and it only made her tighten her grip. His body was heavier now and when she could no longer detect he was breathing she actually began to panic. Even if this was her goal, the reality of it was more than she could have thought. His voice had trailed off before he finished speaking, but she knew exactly what he wanted to say. Despite all the horrible things he did to others, he was her brother. Before he had lost his mind, he was truly kind and selfless where she was concerned. When she couldn't play in the sun with the other children, he would stay up late and keep her company at night. She never wanted for anything when he was around. He was her brother and her best friend. He gave her everything she wanted so that she would smile. Even with all the expensive gifts she received from their parents, the red ribbon Christopher had given her was more precious to her. Simply because it was from him.  
In the moment, all the horrible things Christopher had done because of her were wiped from her mind and suddenly she was simply holding onto her sweet older brother whom had taken care of her all those years ago.

"Me too! I love you too. I always did! You will always be my brother...always! I lov-" Evelyn choked her words through her sobs, her throat burning horribly as she spoke, but she wasn't able to finish before they were finally torn apart. Someone had grabbed her from behind and pulled hard in order to drag her away. She had been so lost in grief that she hadn't really heard any other voices until now. Raphael had to actually struggle a bit when he grabbed Evelyn since she was holding him so tight.

Carling began screaming and crying as she scooped up Christopher's limp, bloody body which was getting smaller by the second while Raphael heaved Evelyn over his shoulder and began running from the room, leaving his bloodied Sai behind. Leonardo helped Mikey to his feet and assisted him swiftly towards the door. Clearly Carling was too caught up in her emotional pain to care about their escape anymore.

As she was watched the scene get smaller and smaller, Eve expelled a long, deep breath. It was as if a weight lifted from her in that breath and before they turned the corner, she thought she understood why. Just a moment before they were out of sight, she could have sworn she saw Michelle and Christopher walking away from Carling hand in hand. Their backs were to Evelyn, walking in the opposite direction from the turtles escape, but she was sure it was them. She couldn't see their faces, but they were happy...right?

Leonardo and Michelangelo ran behind Raphael as he carried Evelyn out in silence. Daylight was breaking soon and they needed to make sure the sun didn't touch Eve before they reached the shell raiser. The journey back to their vehicle was a lot faster than when they first arrived. There was no fog to impede their progress this time and no shadows to take them. When they arrived at the Shell Raiser, they wasted no time in preparing to leave. Donnie drove off as quickly as possible while Raphael set Evelyn down.

Evelyn was lost in a daze the entire drive. Even as the turtles spoke, all she really heard were murmurs. She felt drained and lost. Was it losing Michelle that made her feel this way? Or was it the fact that she just committed a murder.

April and the rest of the turtles stayed in the back to observe Evelyn. She was sitting on the floor with a lost expression that concerned them all. She was covered in blood from almost head to toe. Most of it was her own, but the rest, they knew belonged to Christopher. Especially the fresh blood that stained her hands. There was shattered glass pressed into her skin from her knees down to the bottom of her feet, but she seemed unconcerned. Raphael rubbed the back of his neck, trying hard to think of something to say, but it was April that stepped forward first. She took one of Donnie's rags from the wall of the van and knelt down beside her friend. With a very light touch, she took Eve's blood stained hands and slowly began to wipe them clean without a word.

Mikey watched silently for a moment before he followed her example. He removed the mask from his face and gently began to wipe the tears and blood from Eve's cheeks.

Evelyn started to register the attention and when she looked at April and Mikey, two good friends wiping the blood from her without a word. They had small smiles on their faces as they cleaned her sins from her body. The moment she saw their gentle, almost forgiving expressions, her heart swelled painfully and she began crying again. Raphael made to reach for her, but was halted when Leonardo placed his hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

Raphael didn't like it, but when he looked back at Evelyn, he could see that this might be what she needed right now. Still, he still felt a great urge to comfort her. Even if April and Mikey were probably better suited to do so. Evelyn covered her face with her hands as she cried openly, allowing April to hug her friends shoulders along with Michelangelo. They didn't say a word between the three of them. They simply let their broken friend cry and let it out. No words. They weren't needed. There would be time for all that later, but for now...they knew that no words would help her. Not now.

"Come on. ...we're almost home..." Leonardo said softly as he pat his brothers shoulder.

Raphael took in a deep breath and nodded before turning around to give Eve the privacy she probably wanted. April and Mikey were helping her now, but he wanted to help too. Once they got Evelyn back home, he would have lots of time to help her through this, wouldn't he?

 **A/N: short chapter! But there is still more to come. Please tell me what you think! I love hearing from you guys. I'll be sure to start the next chapter right away!**


	28. Smile For Me

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Smile For Me**

After rushing away from the mansion in the hills, they seemed to arrive back in the Lair with no trouble at all. Leonardo had only allowed himself to relax once he was sure they weren't being followed. It seemed that while the sun was up, Carling wouldn't be coming after them. Perhaps she was busy trying to help Christopher. He glanced back at the back of the van where Evelyn was sitting. Leonardo wasn't sure how to feel right now. They had gone there to save her and though they succeeded, it didn't end how he thought it would. Not with Evelyn staining her hands like that.

As the Shell Raiser came to a stop, Raphael rushed to the back of the van and offered Evelyn his hand to stand up. He made it a point not to look at her, but only because he hadn't yet thought of what to say.  
April and Mikey smiled, but both looked at their friend for conformation that it was okay for them to leave her. They both knew she had been through a lot.  
Evelyn looked up at Raphael's hand and though she was a little worried that he wasn't looking at her, she reached up to take his hand.

"Hold on." Leonardo insisted just before Eve placed her hand in Raphael's.

Raphael flinched slightly, but grabbed her hand anyway. He didn't pull Eve to her feet, but he made it a point to keep hold of her hand. Why was Leo getting in the way at all?  
"What?" Raphael snapped, "Something wrong with me being the one to help her?"

Leonardo sighed heavily, "no," he began, "look at her feet genius."

Both Raphael and Evelyn looked to her feet and noticed now that they were still bleeding a bit. With all that had gone on, Eve almost completely overlooked the pain in her legs caused by the glass she ran through and knelt down in. Raphael stammered a bit and quickly pulled his hand from hers. He felt like an idiot that he didn't notice that first. Why was Leonardo always showing him up in front of Eve? Why was he so bad at this?

Evelyn could see Raphael's embarrassment and in a way, it made her feel a bit more at ease. As if some normalcy had been returned to her in the midst of the madness. "…Um…how about we pull out my old wheelchair?" she suggested, "Or perhaps some crutches?"

"Good idea," exclaimed Leonardo, "I'll go and get—"

"Forget it," snapped Raphael before turning his back to Evelyn and kneeling down. "I'll help her back to her room."

Eve blushed lightly and Leonardo seemed less than pleased. Ever since he had healed up, he felt a little protective of Evelyn. Perhaps because he drank the same black ooze that Eve had in her body. As if he was protecting his little sister. He found it was actually a little difficult for him to watch as Eve too Raphael up on his offer. With April's help, Evelyn was brought a little closer to the hot tempered turtles back. She hugged his neck and allowed Raphael to lift her legs up in order to give her a piggy-back ride out of the Shell Raiser and back to her room.

April smiled as she watched Raphael assist Eve out. "…He's getting better at this." She muttered happily.

"What do you mean?" asked Mikey as they exited the van.

"I'll tell you later." April replied.

Michelangelo looked a little confused, but he felt a strange pit in his stomach as he watched Evelyn and Raphael get smaller. After what happened back at the mansion, he wasn't entirely sure what to do. In the Shell Raiser, he comforted Eve silently, but he wanted to see her smiling again. It had been so long since he saw her smile genuinely and after all this, he wasn't sure when he would again.

While everyone else left the Shell Raiser, Raphael rushed Eve back to her temporary room. He was actually jogging a little and Evelyn slightly nervous. Once they made it to her room, Raphael knelt down and placed her gently down onto her futon without a word. He kept his back to her and Evelyn carefully kept her feet off her bed so her blood wouldn't stain her blankets. With how quickly he brought her here and set her down, she worried he didn't want to be close. She was used to Raphael being stand offish, but he wasn't even looking at her. He always kept an eye on her, if not just to make sure she was okay. Perhaps she was overthinking it, but it twisted her up a bit as she stared at his shell.

"Uh…I'll go and get some bandages from the lab. I guess I should've brought you there instead." Raphael began fumbling with his words as he thought aloud. "…but I'm sure Donnie will know what to give me in order to treat your legs and feet. So um, don't go walking or nothing. I'll be right ba—"

"Why won't you look at me?" Evelyn asked quietly, not giving Raphael a chance to leave.

The turtle stopped before turning for the door and stared at the wall. He was taken aback by her question and now sure how to answer. The silence in the room got heavier and heavier with each second tat passed by and Evelyn started to panic internally.

"Is it because of what I did?" she asked finally, "because I…because I…" her voice started to tremble and her stomach turned. She found she couldn't even say the words and it actually made her feel sick once again. Since she couldn't bring herself to say the word, she pressed on. "…I know I did something wrong. I disappointed you…I…disappointed all of you…" Evelyn's eyes burned a little and though her vision blurred, she kept her eyes on his shell. "I'm not the same girl to you now. I know that. …I—I'm stained. I'm—"

"Shut up," snapped Raphael before he quickly turned and leaned over Eve, pinning her down against the futon. "…stop talking." He growled lowly as he looked down at a surprised Evelyn. He was on his hands and knees, but he made sure to keep his legs from touching hers due to the wounds she suffered. Still, he reached down and grabbed her right hand without taking his eyes from her. Evelyn wasn't sure what he was doing, but his gaze was clear and unwavering as he stared down at her. He brought her hand to his face and pressed his lips to her palm, causing Evelyn to gasp lightly. He was kissing her hand without taking his gaze from her and it caused a shiver to run up her spine. His emerald hues seemed to brighten in the shade caused by his looming over her body and covering the light.

"…Ra—"

"You're not dirty or stained," Raphael started before giving Evelyn a chance to speak. "Not to me. You are still the same girl you were when you first woke up here."

"But I'm not." Evelyn insisted with a frown, but she didn't bother to pull her hand away. "I can't be. What I did…what I saw…and especially what I am. …I can never be that girl again."

"You are still Evelyn."

"You can't just make it all go away with a name! It's not even my real name!" Evelyn's voice began to rise and her eyes burned again. "He took my real name and my real body! This is Michelle's body!"

Raphael released Eve's hand as he watched her expression change. She actually smiled as tears started to flow from her eyes and down the sides of her face. She was unraveling; more so than she had in the van. "Eve…" he began, trying to stop her.

"But I got him back!" She continued with a trembling voice, her face wracked with confusion and grief. "I-I finished it, didn't I?! I should be happy…I should have closure!"

"Eve."

"But I don't! I did what she asked me to do—but it just took away more of me!"

"EVELYN!" Raphael shouted now.

The sudden rise in his voice caused Eve to flinch and it finally silenced her muddled thoughts. Raphael expression was pained now, as though he was deeply hurt by what she was said. Evelyn stared up at Raphael and took a deep breath to calm herself a little.

"…how can I live with myself now?" she whispered, "…what kind of person does this make me?"

"Just stop…for a second," began Raphael lowly, "stop and…just listen to me. Please."

Evelyn didn't speak, but she nodded her head slightly in reply.

"The reason…I couldn't look at you…wasn't because of what you did and it wasn't because of what we learned. I didn't look at you…because…" his voice trailed off and a visible blush formed across his face as he averted his gaze from her eyes.  
"…I couldn't look at you because I didn't know what to say," he admitted finally. "After what you went through, you were upset and I didn't know what to say in order to make you feel better. I'm no good at this kind of stuff. Mikey and Leo always seem to make you feel better, but I just make things worse. I didn't want to blurt something out and make it worse."

His confession completely threw Evelyn for a loop. She stared up at the blushing turtle with wide eyes for a moment. Her silence only made Raphael curious and he brought his gaze back to her face in order to view her reaction. When he met her eyes once again, Evelyn found herself smiling with a breath of relief. Her smile surprised him, but what came next completely baffled him. Evelyn began to laugh.

"Wh-what?" he asked in a slight panic.

"…I was so worried…" she replied as she stifled another laugh. "I was so afraid that you'd all hate me now…and when you didn't look at me…I thought of a million reasons why. …but it was just because you didn't know what to say?"

Raphael's cheeks burned brighter, "h-hey! Don't laugh! I was really worried."

Evelyn shook her head and though she was no longer laughing, she smiled and wiped her eyes.  
The thought that Raphael might come to hate her had frightened Eve. When he wouldn't look at her, she felt lower than dirt, but now that she knew the reason, she felt lighter than air. A strange feeling after all that had occurred, but a welcome feeling nonetheless. It seemed that Raphael was telling the truth before. If that was all he was worried about after all this, she really hadn't changed in his eyes. She was still Evelyn to Raphael.

"You shouldn't have been so worried," replied Evelyn as she finished wiping her eyes. Looking up into his eyes now, she continued to smile. "See?"

Raphael looked down at her smiling face and he couldn't help but smile in return. His nerves eased slowly and he brought his hand to her cheek, brushing a small trace of her tears away with his thumb.  
The two were silent now, both simply finding peace in the moment. Raphael hadn't even noticed that his face was slowly inching closer to her own until Eve spoke again.

"Raphael…?" she whispered.

"…yeah?" he replied, his voice barely above a whisper and his breath hitting her skin as he spoke.

He was so close that Evelyn was afraid to breath, but what made her nervous was the fact that he wouldn't avert his gaze. He was looking into her eyes without faltering and the heat from his breath brushed her lips so lightly that her heart jumped inside her chest. She couldn't look away and even when she felt his fingers slide down from her cheek towards her neck, Evelyn made no attempt to move. Still, she was nervous.  
"…I…I don't think…" began Evelyn softly as her cheeks flushed.

Raphael looked almost in a trance as he stared down at her. The sweet innocence in her eyes was still there and coupled with the soft blush that laced her skin, Raphael found himself forgetting where they were. Her voice sent shivers bristling down his body, even if he could hear the hesitation.  
"…want me to stop?" he asked finally, his lips just inches from her own. He knew he may regret asking that, but he also knew that if he didn't ask, he may end up upsetting her. He didn't want to ruin this when he had finally made her smile. Still, he wanted so badly to close the gap and feel her lips once more. It was almost painful.

Maybe it was the weight of everything that happened today, but Evelyn found herself feeling the need to be closer to Raphael. The initial scare when he wouldn't look at her had melted away so easily and it felt so much better than having to feel the weight of today's events. Would she feel even better if she said nothing at all? Or was she simply getting swept up **because** of all that transpired?  
"…N—"

"What are you doing?!" asked Leonardo in a near shout.

Evelyn gasped in a panic and quickly covered her face. Raphael groaned in audible disappointment and annoyance. She didn't fully answer him, but he was certain she was going to allow him to continue. His brief moment of bliss was short lived and all because Leonardo had terrible timing.

"G-get off me!" Evelyn pleaded in an urgent whisper, clearly mortified by the situation and desperate to crawl in a hole.

Leonardo rushed over and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You heard her."

"Why don't you make me?" asked Raphael in defiance. Not only did he not like being told what to do, now he was frustrated.

Leonardo frowned and tightened his grip on Raphael's shoulder. Evelyn panicked internally when she felt the tension thicken. She was horribly embarrassed and ashamed that Leonardo would see her like this, but also found she was a little disappointed by the sudden turn of events.

"This isn't the time for something like this, Raph. We need to treat Eve's legs. Donnie says that she could get an infection."

Raphael inhaled deeply in order to quell his anger. As much as he hated it, Leo was right and he didn't want to further upset Evelyn by fighting with his brother in front of her. She'd seen enough tonight. He leaned back and got to his feet as he shrugged Leo's hand from his shoulder.  
"…fine. I'll get the first aid kit from Donnie."

"No need. I got it." Replied Leonardo simply as he held up the kit with his other hand.

Raphael and Leonardo glared at one another in silence now and Evelyn couldn't help but feel nervous. She knew why Raphael was upset, but she was honestly befuddled over Leonardo's reaction. He seemed uncommonly protective. It was usually Raphael that acted this way and Leonardo was the one calming him down. Still, after everything that happened that night, it was a welcome change in events. 

**A/N: This story is edging closer to its conclusion. Hope you all liked this chapter! Still more to come. Be sure to check my Tumblr for updates and illustrations, but I still always look forward to your opinions and reviews! Especially on chapters like this. Love you all! See you in the next chapter!**

 **P.S. My Tumblr username is Starscheme (makes it easy, huh? :P )**


	29. A Bad Dream

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Bad Dream**

Leonardo and Raphael had argued over whom was going to help Evelyn with her wounded legs for a moment or two after Leonardo walked in on Raphael and Eve. To the dismay of the raven haired girl, neither brother seemed willing to back down. Only when Mikey and Donatello entered the room did the fighting stop.

"You're still bleeding?" Donatello asked in surprise as he looked over Evelyn's legs. He was sure she would have been bandaged by now.

Both Raph and Leo looked a little guilty as Donatello knelt down in front of Eve, holding his hand out for the first-aid kit. Leonardo handed it to him without protest and observed anxiously while Donnie proceeded to treat her wounds. Evelyn winced when he applied the alcohol to her cuts. Once Leonardo saw that Eve was uncomfortable, he grabbed the swab from Donatello aggressively.

"You're hurting her!" Leonardo blurted out, alarming everyone in the room.

The others were completely silent, staring at Leonardo who didn't seem to understand why they all looked so concerned and confused. Without bothering to ask why they were acting strangely, Leo knelt down in front of Eve and gently nudged Donnie out of the way.

"…Leo? Are you okay?" Evelyn asked to break the silence, trying not to wince in case he got upset again on her account.

"I'm fine. You're the one that's been hurt."

"I think she meant, why are you acting like she's made of glass?" Raphael asked with a suspicious gaze.

"So I'm supposed to pin her down and act like she's not hurt?" Leonardo snapped back.

Mikey's concern shifted from Leo to what he pointed out instead.  
"You pinned her down? Raph, this is no time for playing around and that's coming from me."  
It's what he said, but the freckled turtle was actually starting to find that when he heard about Raphael or Evelyn being alone, it caused his stomach to turn a little. He wasn't sure why.

"We are not talking about that right now." Evelyn insisted firmly, stopping the turtles before they got the chance to respond to Michelangelo. "…It's…been a really long day for everyone. I think we should just get some sleep…"

Leonardo nodded in agreement and began wrapping Eve's legs in bandages carefully.  
"I agree. You all should go and get some sleep; I'll keep watch on Eve tonight."

Mikey wasn't entirely ready for sleep, mostly due to the fact that he wanted a chance to speak with Evelyn about what transpired earlier. He had a bad feeling about leaving her alone, as if he wouldn't see her when he woke the next morning if they separated now.

"Can I stay too?" Michelangelo asked finally.

"We can all stay!" Raphael announced, happy to have a quick excuse not to leave Evelyn and Leonardo alone.

Evelyn was actually pleased with the idea as well and it didn't take much to convince Donnie other than the offer of a pillow. Raphael grinned when he saw Leonardo's displeased expression and went to the closet in order to gather the extra blankets and pillows. Evelyn couldn't help but laugh as Leonardo and Raphael pushed one another out of the way in order to sleep next to her. She was sure that each had very different reasons for doing so, but it was nice to forget the bigger troubles for now.

"Why are you being such an ass?" Raphael demanded as he grappled with Leo.

"Why can't you keep your hands to yourself? You really think I'm gonna allow you to sleep that close to her when every chance you get you-" Leonardo replied.

"I said we're not talking about that!" snapped Evelyn.

It took a little while, but the bickering finally died down. Raphael was forced to give in eventually and since Evelyn refused to make Mikey move from her other side, he ended up reluctantly sleeping above her head. He planned to wait until everyone was asleep and speak with Evelyn alone, but the days events proved to be tiring for them all. The turtles and Eve fell asleep rather quickly, or at least most of them did.

Mikey found that he just couldn't close his eyes quite yet, even after his brothers had gone to bed. He was lying at Evelyn's left side and staring at her face while she slept. He couldn't believe that not too long ago, this girl was covered in blood and sobbing in the back of the van. All he wanted was to make her smile again. After all that had happened, it was simple request wasn't it? Mikey didn't want to wake her, but he felt the need to be closer to her. He scooted over just a bit and took her hand before he closed his eyes to get some sleep. Tomorrow was bound to be better wasn't it?

" _Oh how sweet,"_ sneered Carling quietly.

The familiar voice woke Evelyn with a start. She shot up in bed with a gasp, her heart thumping horribly as she scanned the dark room for the red headed witch. When she didn't see her in the room, she looked down at the turtles and was relieved to see they were all safe and sleeping comfortably. However, Evelyn was certain that she heard Carlings voice and there was no way she was going back to sleep now.

" _Don't bother looking for me. I'm not here,"_ Carlings voice rang out clearly to Evelyn, but no matter how she tried, there was truly no sign of Carling in the room. In fact, in her attempt to find Carling, Evelyn had stood up from her bed to find that her legs no longer hurt and not one of the turtles stirred from their slumber.

"This is a dream…" stated Evelyn knowingly with a sigh of relief as she looked down at her sleeping friends.

" _Call it whatever you want. …I hope you didn't think this was over."_

Evelyn could hear the weakness in Carlings voice now. As if the witch could fall over dead at any moment. She seemed out of breath and struggling to keep herself awake as she spoke to Eve inside her head. Evelyn looked up at the ceiling and no longer worried about waking the turtles; spoke as clearly as she was able.

"It **_is_** over, Carling. Michelle is gone…and Christopher is—"

" _You think he's gone? I will never let that happen. I kept you alive all this time…and I will do the same for him. You think you saved anyone? You accomplished nothing. I don't care how long it takes, I will make my master like new again…"_ There was a bitterness in Carling's voice that Evelyn noted as she spoke. _"Still…it would be easier with your help. Why not come home?"_

Evelyn raised a brow and stared up at the ceiling in disbelief. These people were truly crazy. How could Carling expect her to go back to that place? Especially for the purpose of bringing back the man that was not only responsible for her own death, but who knew how many others? The fact that Carling had the gall to even suggest it made her stomach turn in knots and her anger bubbled slowly to the surface.

"I am never going back there," shouted Evelyn. "Michelle is gone! You don't need me anymore! Whatever you are…or whatever you were, just leave me alone!"

" _I can't do that. You took something from me…did you really think I would ever leave you alone? You are like my child. …I made you. And with what I put inside of you…I can bring my master back. I can help you too. I can tell you who you really are. I can bring back all the memories of your life. Your family…your lover…I'm sure you can still see them. After all…it hasn't been very long since they buried your real body. Wouldn't you like to see them? Wouldn't you like to be called by your real name…?"_

Evelyn was quiet now as she took in Carlings words. She hadn't thought about that before. There was a family out there grieving for her. Grieving a daughter and perhaps a girlfriend they believed to have been murdered. Still, she knew that anyone would promise honey when they really planned to serve you vinegar. Though Evelyn was a bit taken aback, she shook her head to regain her focus and planted her feet firmly on the ground. She wasn't about to give in. Not after all of this. No matter how curious she was or how terrible it made her feel, she couldn't just let what the turtles went through be for nothing.  
Besides…

" _ **You are still Evelyn."**_

She remembered Raphael's words and his voice rang so clear in her mind. That's right. A small smile laced her lips and Evelyn took in a short breath.  
"My name is Evelyn. **That** is my real name. So haunt my dreams all you like…but I will never trade the life I have now for a life I can't remember."

There was a long pause after she spoke and just when Eve thought that Carling had gone, the witch spoke again.

"… _and how long do you think that life will last,"_ began the cloaked devil. _"You need me just as I need you. I've seen so many girls before you start to crumble or go mad inside of that body. …besides…if Michelle is truly gone, that body may just rot away as it was always meant to. Without my treatment…your days could very well be numbered. Or…you may just lose your mind like all the others and hurt your new friends…"_

Carling spoke in a low hiss as she warned the raven haired young girl, but Evelyn didn't want to believe that. Michelle had mentioned going mad before, but she thought the worst of it was over. That perhaps now that Christopher was gone, the souls would simply begin to leave once they felt they had been avenged. Was there still a chance she might lose herself and become like the others? Or would she simply just begin to rot and die in front of her friends eyes?

" _I think we both know I'll see you soon. If not only to save your precious turtles from yourself. No matter how long you hide in the dark, you can't deny what you are now. You'll never live as a normal girl anyhow…but perhaps you can at least live. You know where to find me…"_

Carlings voice faded off and no matter how long Evelyn waited in silence, the witch's voice could no longer be heard. A vile feeling started to emerge in Evelyn now. After all of this, it really wasn't over was it? She didn't even get a chance to ask Carling about what might be wrong with Leo. She stood there in the dark for a while, wondering if and when this dream would end. It wasn't fair. Her frustrations boiled and though she expected herself to cry, her outlet seemed to release itself in a different way. Evelyn dropped to her knees and began screaming. No tears. She simply let all her anger, her frustration, her worry, and her sadness out. All she wanted was for this to end. Why wouldn't it just end?!

"EVE!" Leonardo shouted above her screams, causing the girl to open her eyes with a jolt and gasp for air. She was panting for breath and staring up with wide eyes as the turtles hovered over with concern. Leonardo was holding Eve's shoulders and Mikey had a firm grip on her hand. It seemed she had screamed in her sleep and startled them all from their slumber. Looking up at them all, her gaze landed on Leo's face. Perhaps it was Michelle's memories of her brother that caused it, but whenever she saw his blue eyes she felt so much calmer somehow. Without saying a word, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulder, holding her breath to keep herself from bursting out in tears right away. She had done enough crying in front of them, but she would be lying if she said the dream hadn't shaken her a bit.

Leonardo was caught off guard, but he quickly fell into line and smiled before he embraced her back firmly. He was certain that after the trouble, she was bound to have a few nightmares, but he wanted her to feel safe here and know that she was cared for. Glancing at Raphael, he knew what the scowl on his brothers face meant. Raphael had given him a lecture about not leading Evelyn on before, but what was he supposed to do? Act as though he didn't care and be cold to her? He couldn't bring himself to do that. Especially not after all she had been through. Still, he did worry about hurting her further by giving her too much hope and he didn't want that either. He cleared his throat a bit and pulled back after a moment or two so that he could see her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently.

Evelyn only returned his gaze with a blank stare. Should she tell them about Carling had said? Would it help anything? No. she didn't want to put too much on them again. They had already done so much for her. Besides, she felt as if she knew what they would say anyway. Finally, Evelyn forced a smile and brushed a bit of her hair behind her ear.  
"Ah…just a bad dream, I guess. I didn't mean to wake you all."

Mikey shook his head and nudged Leonardo out of the way so that he was facing Evelyn as he took both her hands.  
"Are you sure? You sounded like you were in pain. Do your legs really hurt?"

Leonardo frowned and rubbed his head after Michelangelo pushed him to the ground.  
"It's okay, Mikey. She said it was a bad dream."

"Yeah," Eve reassured, leaning forward to kiss the freckled turtles cheek. "It was just a bad dream."

Both Raphael and Mikey froze up when Evelyn pressed her lips to Michelangelo's cheek. Raphael, because he couldn't help but feel a little envious, and Mikey, because he couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Evelyn had done this before, but somehow this time felt different. Mikey couldn't explain why, but it felt…warmer. As Evelyn pulled back, he had a strange urge to lean forward and keep her close, but instead he simply watched her face in a sort of daze.

"It looks as if we actually overslept," announced Donatello and breaking the silence.

Mikey shook himself mentally in order to regain a little focus.  
"I should get breakfast started!" he exclaimed happily as he jumped to his feet and turned for the door.

Donatello patted Eve on the shoulder and offered her a smile as he left to follow his brother from the room. He was actually hoping to sneak off for a moment and call April to check in on her without them noticing.  
Evelyn tried to stand on her own, but the sharp pain in her legs shot through her and she winced before leaning back down onto the futon.

"Oh great…" she muttered to herself, "I do not want to go back in that wheelchair."

"You don't have to." Leonardo replied happily as he turned his back to her and put out his arms a bit. "I'll carry you to the kitchen," he offered.

Evelyn flushed a bright red that covered her face entirely and though she could practically feel the heat of Raphael's anger behind them, she leaned forward and hung her arms over Leonardo's shoulders.  
Leonardo stood up and made sure he had a good hold of her legs so that the injured half of them dangled safely so as not to touch anything. Even after all that sleep, Evelyn was still plenty tired and she didn't bother to hug his neck as he carried her off towards the kitchen. She simply let herself lean on the turtle and closed her eyes.

"If you and Raphael keep giving me piggy-back rides, I may end up getting spoiled." She joked softly.

Leonardo chuckled a bit and turned his head slightly to look at her face as she rested her chin against his shoulder.  
"That's fine. You could stand to be a bit spoiled." he joked in return.

Raphael walked beside his brother as he helped Evelyn from the room. He watched Evelyn closely and hoped that this was truly coming to an end. She didn't need to be hurt anymore. Carling was still out there and they still had no idea where this Dr. Conners was or if he even still posed a threat, but he hoped that at least for a little while…she could rest.  
While he was lost in thought he didn't notice right away that Evelyn had tilted her head a bit to look at him. He blushed at once when he met her eyes and he quickly looked away in embarrassment. Evelyn smiled warmly at Raphael, even when he averted his eyes. He seemed so confident with her at times, but she adored this shy part of him.

Mikey was already cooking breakfast by the time they arrived and Leonardo carefully placed Evelyn down to sit on a stool so she could eat something. He left her side to help Mikey with the food and Raphael took a seat beside her.

"…Are you going to keep this?" Raphael asked as he reached over and gently tugged at the red ribbon in her hair.

In truth, she had almost forgotten about the ribbon. It was not as if something like that seemed very important in the scheme of things, but still…  
She reached up to brush her fingers over the silk garment that was tied into her raven curls. She probably should throw it out. After all, it was nothing more than a reminder of Christopher and all the pain he caused by chasing down his sisters soul. However, as she made to pull it from her head, she found it was a little hard to part with it. Perhaps it was Michelle once again, but the ribbon felt important to her. It was a special gift that she treasured from her brother after all. That's how Michelle thought of it, wasn't it? She was sure that Michelle never saw the ribbon as something from a twisted man. It was a special gift from her big brother, and she loved it precisely because it was from someone she loved.

"Yeah…I think it will be a nice way to remember Michelle…" Evelyn replied with a soft smile.

As everyone gathered together, Mikey began to serve the food and Evelyn watched while the brothers conversed and poked fun at one another. Even after everything that happened, they all seemed to take in strides. As she observed her friends, Evelyn felt a pit form in her stomach.

" _That body may just rot away as it was always meant to. Without my treatment…your days could very well be numbered. Or…you may just lose your mind like all the others and hurt your new friends…"_ Remembering Carlings words, Eve found the happy scene around her a little hard to look at. These boys all risked so much for her. Could she really put them at risk by staying here? If Carling was telling the truth, she could snap one day and really hurt one of them. She could even end up…  
Suddenly, she could see Christopher's blood all over her hands and the vivid memory of his death flooded back to her. It was like she could still feel the pressure as she pushed the Sais blade into his chest and the warmth of his blood when it spilled out onto her hands. The flashback caused Eve to lurch forward and retch up a bit of the food she had eaten onto the floor.

The turtles all jumped up from their own seats and rushed over to her. She couldn't hear them over her own thoughts as they all inquired what was wrong and made an attempt to keep her from being sick again by offering her water. She was barely listening as she took the water and tried to assure them all it wasn't the food or a physical problem. Eventually she was able to convince them all that she had simply ate a little too quickly. This seemed to placate the turtles and even allowed them to joke about it a bit so as to lighten the mood.  
Evelyn however, only pretended to listen as they poked a little fun at her. The very thought of going off the deep end and hurting one of the turtles as she had Christopher…it was too much. There was no way she was going to let happen. Not if she could help it.  
So as the turtles enjoyed their food and talked of happier things, Evelyn made up her mind. To keep them safe from herself, she would do what she had to do. Even if it meant…that things had to change.

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for sticking with Evelyn so far! The next Chapter will be the last…and I am kinda sad about it. As always though, I love to hear your thoughts and if you have any requests for illustrations of Evelyn or the turtles, or whatever, you can find me on Tumblr and leave me a 'ask.'**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and even though the next chapter will be the last, it's gonna be a long one. See you all in the next chapter!**


	30. A Dark Connection

**Chapter Thirty: A Dark Connection**

Raphael kept a close eye on Eve for the next few days following their escape from the mansion. Perhaps he was being paranoid, but something was off. He noted several behavioral changes in her day to day routine. She was taking at least two baths a day and wasn't eating as much as she used to. When she didn't know anyone was looking, he would catch her staring off with a distant look in her eyes. She hardly even noticed when he would try to get her attention. When he spoke to his brothers about his concerns, they thought she was just having trouble dealing with what happened. It wasn't a bad theory considering what she went through. After all, they were all still a little out of sorts over the ordeal. Still, Raphael just couldn't shake the feeling there was something more to why she was acting this way.

"Raphael, are you paying attention?" April asked aloud, forcing the turtle from his inner thoughts.

"Huh? Oh…yeah. Sorry." He replied as he reapplied his focus to the mission at hand. April had called the turtles out to investigate a murder that they thought might be linked to Carling and Christopher. She had brought it to their attention in the lair, but didn't share all the details until they were out on the rooftops, at the request of Leonardo.

"Why are we keeping this from Evelyn, again?" asked April.

"Because she's been through enough," Raphael replied with a heavy sigh. "We need to avoid a repeat of what happened back at the mansion. So, why do you think Carling has something to do with this?"

April exhaled and closed her eyes to prepare herself as she pulled out her phone and held out the screen for the turtles to see.  
"After the murder was reported, I looked into it…and when I dug a little deeper, I found out that the victim…had his eyes gauged out." She finished quietly.

"Just like Eve and the other girls…" thought Donatello aloud, "Carling is trying to keep Chris' body alive using the same magic. Does that mean that Eve actually… _killed_ Christopher…?" He was hesitant to use the actual word. None of them had really addressed what Evelyn had done that night, besides agreeing **not** to bring it up within ear shot of her.

They all remained silent, staring at the ground beneath their feet, as if no one was willing to answer Donatello's question right away. April and Donatello were absent when Evelyn stabbed Christopher, but the others were witness to it and still had trouble coming to terms with the truth.

"It wasn't as if he was an innocent man," Raphael stated finally, breaking the silence. His arms were crossed over his chest and he kept his gaze to the ground as he spoke. "He deserved it. He killed Eve's real body, right? And who knows how many others. Eve didn't do anything wrong." Though he defended Evelyn's actions, his conflicted expression betrayed his words.

"No one is putting Eve on trial here, Raph…" assured Leonardo. "It's just that…she said she was hearing voices in the mansion and she told us about the spirits. We can't rule out that maybe…she wasn't in complete control when she did…what she did."

"You know it's that kind of distrust that might be making her uncomfortable," muttered Raphael irately.

"She was crying…" began Michelangelo, "…she kept saying she was sorry. She said she was sorry over and over. I don't think she really wanted to do it." The freckled turtle seemed troubled by the memory of what happened and couldn't continue.

Leonardo placed a hand on Mikey's shoulder and offered his brother a sympathetic smile.  
"Look, there is no reason to talk about all this right this moment. We just need to go check out this murder and see if it can lead us to Carling. As long as she's out there, she is a danger to Evelyn."

The others agreed and when April gave them the details, Leo had them sent off in teams. Raphael and himself would go and check into the murder site, April, Donnie, and Mikey would look into the man himself and try to ascertain why Carling might have chosen this man. If they could figure out how she was chooses her victims, they might be able to stop her before she murdered again. Donnie's team was off and Raphael jumped down from the roof thinking Leo was right behind him, but Leo hesitated.

" _You don't really think I would hurt anyone…do you?"_

Leonardo looked over his shoulder at the image of Evelyn that stood behind him.  
"I don't, but I'm worried about my brothers."

The illusion of Evelyn smiled at Leonardo and stepped forward as Leonardo turned around to face her.  
" _…and yet you still haven't told them what is going on."_

"What do you mean?" asked Leonardo.

" _You know what I mean…"_ Evelyn began as she closed the distance between them and reached up to stroke his cheek. _"…my sweet, deluded turtle…you're losing your mind."_ She finished in a whisper before pulling her hand back to herself.

His eyes widened when reality started to set in. Why was he speaking to an illusion as if it were completely normal? The turtle stepped back, suddenly feeling panicked over the image he was seeing. Until now it had seemed completely normal, but now a cold chill rushed up his spine.

"I…I need to…" Leo's vision began to blur and he stumbled back on unsteady legs.

"Leo! Let's go!" Raphael called out from the streets, already tired of waiting. Even Master Splinter was watching over her, he was anxious to get home.

Raphael's voice rang out just as Leonardo began to feel sick and the troubled turtle's attention was switched at once, trying to ignore the weakness in his knees.

"Yeah…I'm coming…" Leonardo replied quietly as he headed to the roofs edge, looking over his shoulder where the illusion had been and was relieved when he saw nothing. What happened there was just a lack of sleep. He was sure of it. He just had to focus on the mission at hand. Leonardo jumped down from the roof to join his brother.

Evelyn was listless the last couple of days as she waited for her legs to heal. Master Splinter and Leonardo worked with her in order to help her recovery, but she was just grateful that it didn't take too long. She had more to think about now. What happened that night at the mansion and the dream she had with Carlings warning, it all weighed heavily on her mind. She could tell how hard everyone tried to take her mind from it. Not one of them ever allowed her to be alone with her thoughts. She knew it was out of concern, but as it was, she had to take extra baths just to have a moment alone. Even if Leonardo still insisted on guarding the door while she bathed. Ever since he had caught her and Raphael in that compromising position, he had been adamant not to leave them alone again. She would have thought it was jealousy if she didn't already know about Karai. Evelyn still didn't have the courage to ask Leonardo about what she witnessed in the garden between them that night. She was too afraid he would say out loud the words she was not brave enough to hear. Because she knew that if she heard them, she wouldn't be able to lie to herself anymore. She would have to stop caring for Leonardo and admit that he truly didn't see her that way. It may have seemed a trivial thing to think about after all that's happened, but it was something she wanted to resolve before all this was over. No matter how frightening it was.

Evelyn sank down into the water of her most recent bath. The turtles had all left for a mission, or that's what they told her. Not one of them knew that she had overheard Donatello's conversation with April earlier that day. Clearly that were hiding it from her because of what happened. As if she couldn't handle anything now. Raphael was always careful with her, but now they were all doing it. Even Mikey was overly cautious with her now. That had to change. She couldn't allow the Turtles to baby her like this. It would only spoil her.

"It would be easy to stay like this…" Evelyn whispered to herself as she lifted her head from the water and leaned against the edge of the bath, allowing the steam to relax her body. "…but then…how could I face them every day…?"

Still, even if she didn't have much time to think it over, she had already decided what to do. She wasn't going to let these wonderful people get hurt on her account. With a heavy sigh, Eve lifted herself from the bath and began to dry herself off. She wanted to be ready for when the turtles returned. If it were possible, she would have snuck out to meet them tonight, but with Master Splinter watching her, there was no way to sneak out.

"…Just come home soon…" she pleaded to no one in particular while wrapping her body in a towel and wringing out her hair.

" _Can you really let them go like this,"_ asked a small girl with long raven hair tied in a bow. Her eyes were wrapped by bandages, but she looked up at Evelyn as she could see her clearly.

Eve's hands trembled when the child's voice emanated through the washroom and silenced all outside noise. The sound of the leaking faucet, the echo of her damp footsteps, it was all sucked into the mute void the illusion created, leaving them to speak out of time it seemed.

" _You don't want to play with me?"_ asked the child.

"You're not here!"

" _Play with me."_

"Leave me alone!" Evelyn shouted once again, closing her eyes and refusing to look at the child she knew was only in her mind. For the past few days she had been concentrating hard so that these visions wouldn't plague her, but some still managed to slip through. Just as Michelle warned, the madness that lingered in the other spirits was still trying to claim her. In times like this, it was difficult to keep herself grounded and force the images away.

" _Come play with us. Leonardo can come too. He'll play with us too."_

Evelyn's back straightened and she finally turned towards the child, "Leave him alone!"

A smile laced the little girls face and she reached out to take Evelyn's trembling hand.  
 _"Leonardo is like us now. He'll play with us. We can all play together."_

All Evelyn could do was stare down at the child, her eyes wide and afraid. It wasn't something they talked about either. Leonardo had drunk the dark liquid, the essence of the dark Magic that was keeping Evelyn's body alive.  
"…H-He's not like me. Leonardo still has his own body. He's…Leonardo is…he's not…he's not like us."  
Evelyn's voice shook and her heart leapt to her throat when she thought about pulling Leonardo down with her into this mess.

The child took a firm grip of Evelyn's hand in order to steady her and keep her focus.  
 _"I_ _ **want**_ _to play with him._ _ **We**_ _want to play with him. We know you want to play with him too. LET. ME. IN!"_ The little girls voice elevated as she spoke until it became an ear splitting demand. Her nails dug into Eve's hand and the child pulled down at her arm so roughly that Evelyn was almost thrown to the ground. _"_ _ **LET ME IIINNN**_ _!"_

Master Splinter was just outside the washroom waiting for Evelyn to finish her bath when he suddenly heard a loud 'thud.' Until now, he didn't hear anything alarming. Splinter didn't hesitate as he pushed open the washroom doors, allowing the steam to rush out and reveal Evelyn kneeling down, covering her ears as she rocked her body back and forth.

"Evelyn, what is wrong?" Splinter asked urgently, dropping to his knees and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Shutupshutupshutupshutupshutup," she muttered under her breath so quickly that Splinter had trouble understanding her for just a moment.

When he heard the fear in her voice and felt the burning panic that was looming off her, Splinter closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Evelyn didn't even seem aware that he was next to her at all and simply continued to whisper to herself, smashing her ears against her head as if she were trying to silence a deafening scream that wouldn't cease. The Ninja's father whispered a mantra to himself and placed two fingers to her forehead. It wasn't until a faint light glowed around his hand that Evelyn's body halted rocking and her voice was hushed. The master had eased her troubled mind, but to do so, he had to put the panicked girl to sleep. He gently steadied her body as she went limp and lifted her from the ground to carry her out of the washroom. He had been worried about this ever since they returned from retrieving Evelyn a few days ago.  
After what Leonardo had told him, he was afraid that Evelyn would soon break down. Though nor he or Leonardo were completely aware of her entire situation, taking a life is traumatic for anyone.

While Splinter tended to Evelyn, the Raphael and Leonardo had reached the murder site April told them about. Since it was still technically a crime scene, the area had been taped off and a few police officers put into place keeping watch. A perfect moment to put their ninja training to use in order to look for evidence that may be linked to Carling or Christopher; not that they hoped to find any.

The turtles faded into the shadows and began their search. At first, their silent search came up empty until Leonardo noticed something shining gently behind a dumpster just short of the murder scene. He slipped around the officers and signaled to his brother as he knelt down to take a better look. To his dismay, what Leonardo found there was not what he expected. His heart sank and a feeling of dread washed over him. What he had noticed appeared to be scales. More specifically; scales from the mutated Karai. Leonardo struggled internally for a moment, but his impulse was to quickly grab the scales and hide them inside his belt. He had already signaled Raphael to meet him on the roof, so once the scales were safely tucked away he left the scene and headed for the roof.

"What did you find?" asked Raphael once his brother joined him on top of the nearby building.

Leonardo adjusted himself mentally and cleared his throat before he replied, "False alarm. You didn't find anything either?"

Raphael shook his head and sighed, "nothing, but I guess that's a good thing. I'd rather not see that witch again anyhow. Plus, it might mean that Eve can relax a little, right?"

"Right," Leonardo agreed. He hated to keep this from his brother, but he wanted to speak with Karai before anyone jumped to conclusions about her involvement in this. "Call Donnie and let him know we are heading back home to check on Eve."

 **A/N: So...clearly this is not the last chapter. I've decided to keep it going for a little while since there was no way I could end it the way I wanted in just one more chapter.  
** **Still, I'm sorry this chapter took so long and that it might be a little short. Family problems have been...tiring, to say the least. But I love you all and thank you so much for sticking with me. Check out my Tumblr for updates and feel free to make requests. Just search for Starscheme. See you all next chapter. :)**


	31. Master Splinter Understands

**Chapter Thirty-One: Master Splinter Understands**

Once Leonardo and Raphael returned, Master Splinter as there to greet them and unfortunately inform them of what happened to Evelyn while they were gone. Both turtles made a quick dash for the dojo to check on Eve. Raphael cursed himself mentally for leaving her alone at all, but Leonardo looked as if he was going to be sick. Reaching the Dojo at the same time, the brothers burst through the doors and made their way to her bedside. At the very least, she looked peaceful, as if she were only taking a nap. Her hair was still wet from the bath and the towel still wrapped around her under the blanket.

"You uh…didn't dress her?" Leonardo asked nervously, averting his eyes from Eve. He couldn't see anything, but just knowing she wasn't dressed made him a little uncomfortable.

Raphael however, had no such problem. He stared down at her face with narrowed eyes. He thought she would be safe now, but in the short time they had been away Eve was in danger again. He hated feeling helpless like this. When the problem was inside her, what could he do? How could he possibly help her?

" _This is your fault you know."_

Leonardo clearly heard Evelyn's voice coming from over his shoulder and he quickly turned, but saw nothing there. Another illusion?  
"My fault…?" he muttered curiously under his breath. If he had been here, could he have helped her in some way? Did this have anything to do with what the last illusion told him? Or the fact that they each had that black ooze inside of them?

" _That's right."_

Leonardo turned around again and suddenly, he was all alone in the room with Eve sleeping on the floor. Master Splinter and his brother had vanished and even though Evelyn was sleeping, another Eve sat beside her, stroking the sleeping girls head.  
"What do you mean this was my fault," he asked quickly.

The other Evelyn didn't say anything right away. She had a serene look on her face as she stared down at the sleeping girl. When she finally turned her head to look at Leonardo, he found himself stepping back from her at once. The girl may have looked like Eve, but her eyes were hollow with what appeared to be dried blood around the edges.

" _You were supposed to protect her. You promised you would save her."_ The vision got to her feet as she spoke softly. Her voice was calm and quiet, which really only served to unnerve Leonardo further,

"I am! She's—"

" _LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO US!"_ The vision screamed, rushing at Leonardo and pushing him up against the wall. Forcing the turtle to look into the empty holes where her eyes should have been.

Leonardo closed his eyes as quickly as he could to keep from seeing her like this.  
"STOP!" he shouted desperately, hoping that when he opened his eyes, the girl would be gone.

"Stop what?" asked Raphael.

When Leo opened his eyes again, Raphael and Master Splinter were back, both staring at Leonardo curiously. The girl was gone and Evelyn slept peacefully. An illusion again. Was he the only one seeing these? Feeling these things?

Before they could ask Leonardo what was going on, Eve began to stir and their attention shifted. She opened her eyes, Raphael and Leonardo hazily coming into view as they looked down at her. It was just like when she first woke up in the lair. In that moment, everything she had been so worried about seemed so far away. Evelyn smiled as her vision became clear and she saw the concern on the turtles faces.

"You're back…" she mumbled sleepily.

"What happened?" Leonardo and Raphael asked in unison.

Evelyn was a little taken aback, but she actually found herself giggling a bit. It was rare to see Leonardo and Raphael like this. The brothers seemed confused by her sudden shift in mood, but both were relieved to see that she didn't appear hurt. Evelyn sat herself up on the futon, holding the blanket against her, and quickly noting that she had no clothes on.

"You fainted in the washroom," Splinter reminded her softly as he knelt down at her side to meet her eyes with concern.

A chilled slither ran up her back as she recalled her hallucination in the bathroom. Her gaze traveled to Leonardo without thinking. That little girl said she wanted to play with him. That he was one of them now. Was that truly possible? Could Leonardo be like her now?

"What is it?" asked Leonardo nervously, not quite comfortable with the fact that she wasn't dressed.

Evelyn was shaken from her thoughts and she did her best to smile.  
"It's nothing. …I think it was the steam. I must have stayed in the water too long. I'm sorry I worried you all…"

Though her answer eased the turtles worries, Splinter was troubled. He had been there when Eve was unraveling. She had lied. Still, he didn't want to embarrass her by calling her out in front of his sons. The Rat got to his feet and stroked his beard.

"Well, that is a relief. Now, let us give Evelyn some time to collect herself," Splinter said simply as he ushered his sons towards the door with him.

"Ah! Let me know if you need any help chang—OW!"  
As Raphael began to offer his assistance, he was cut off when both Leonardo and his Father smacked him upside the head.

Evelyn watched them leave with a light laugh, but once the doors were clothes, her smile faded.  
How long could this go on? Carling told her that she might go mad like the others. She didn't want to believe it, but these visions were happening quite frequently and every night, she could see the light leaving Christopher's eyes. That certainly didn't help her sanity. With a heavy sigh, Evelyn stood up and went to change her clothes.

As Evelyn was getting dressed, the others were just arriving back at the Lair. Mikey looked rather annoyed, but Donatello seemed pleased with himself.

"You guys find anything?" Leonardo asked when he noticed his brothers return.

" **I** actually found something interesting," replied Donatello with a smile. "While Mikey was goofing around, April and I found the victims home. We searched for a while, but eventually, we found this," Donatello pulled out a small post-it note.

Gathering around the couch, Donatello held out the note for everyone to read.

"Isn't that the address of the warehouse where Eve first escaped from?" asked Raphael.

"Wait," Raphael began, "We checked out the warehouse already. It was completely cleared out by the time we got there."

Donatello nodded. "It is. His place was already turned upside down by the police. We didn't see anything that might connect him to Carling other than this."

"We already searched that warehouse after we found Evelyn. It had been emptied and scrubbed clean. Like it had never been used," added Leonardo.

"You're right, but I think it would be worth it to go and take another look. We didn't know what we do now. That warehouse had a LOT of windows and even a skylight. Don't you think that's a weird place to experiment on people with dark magic that can't be in the sun? Sure, they could do most of their work at night, but they wouldn't be able to stay there during the day. They would have to have another area where they kept their _subjects._ This guy may have worked for them and it was just his bad luck that Christopher died and suddenly Carling needed someone to keep his body from rotting. Just as she kept Michelle's body fresh all this time," Donatello finished before sitting himself down on the couch to rest his feet.

"So we go back to the warehouse and look for some sort of hidden room," Leonardo stated simply.

As the turtles spoke, Evelyn leaned against her door, listening to it all. So someone else had died? Taken by Carling to keep Chris' body alive. How many more would be taken before she decided to take a stand and do something about it? This black magic was keeping her, Christopher, and Carling alive. Was there some way of getting rid of it? Perhaps some method of draining it from their bodies? After all, it had a form in that black ooze and could be ingested. Why couldn't they also expel it from their bodies? If that were true, perhaps she could get the little bit that was inside of Leonardo expelled as well. She was stuck in bed with broken bones the last time the turtles went to check out the warehouse. Though she knew better than to ask them if she could tag along this time, they would refuse her right out without missing a beat.

"Something troubling you," Splinter asked, placing his paw on her shoulder gently so as not to startle her too much.

Evelyn only flinched a little, turning to face the turtles father. She was hesitant for a moment. Splinter looked at her as though he already knew what she wanted to say to him, and still, she was afraid to say it out loud. She had made up her mind earlier and considering what the turtles were talking about just outside the door, telling Splinter could no longer be avoided.

Splinter didn't wait for Eve to speak, he simply smiled and placed his other hand on her shoulder.  
"Why don't we have a cup of tea?" asked the Master before turning to head for his own quarters, trusting that Evelyn would follow. Of course, she had done just that. Silently, Eve stepped into Master Splinters room, watched him close the doors, and kneeled across from him on a sitting pillow as he prepared some tea for the two of them.

"You don't have to worry," began Splinter, breaking the silence at last, "my sons may be ninjas, but they have yet to escape my ear. You can speak openly here with me, they will not overhear."

All of a sudden, Evelyn began to feel a bit overwhelmed. It was as if he knew everything already. Still, she had to say it. Once she said it all aloud, it would become real, and once it was real…she wouldn't be able to turn back.

"You know what I am…" Evelyn began, staring down at her folded hands in her lap. "…a soul living in a dead girls body, only kept alive by some dark and evil magic that's controlled by others…"

"Yes," Splinter replied evenly as he began to pour the tea, a calm expression on his face.

"I don't know who I was before your family found me. That's probably for the better. After all, I like it here. I've loved my time here. You have all been so kind to me and done a lot to keep me safe. You've all been hurt in doing so and I know that everyone is choosing to do these things, so I know that I shouldn't feel guilty, yet I do." Evelyn took a deep breath now, raising her head to meet his gaze. She could only hope that her eyes didn't betray her by conveying her anxiety on the matter.  
"I've made a decision…and I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't tell you what it is, and I need you to trust me. The choice I'm making is my own and it's got nothing to do with guilt. You and your family have done a lot for me and it's about time I do something for myself. I can't let you all look after me forever. I can't keep hiding behind the people I care about. …So…Master Splinter…" Evelyn bowed her head now, doing her best to be respectful in every way that he had taught her during her time with them.  
"…Would you please trust me…and grant me one more favor? Would you help me to achieve my goal? It's a bit selfish on my part, I know, but I can't begin what I have in mind without a little help and you're the only one I can ask. Please."

With her head down, Evelyn closed her eyes tight, waiting anxiously for his answer. Knowing Splinter, he wasn't going to get angry. The worst he could say was 'no' and send her back to her room. Still, that would be the end of it. If he refused, Eve would be stuck. She wouldn't be able to do this alone.

"Raise your head…" insisted Splinter softly, sliding her a cup of tea.

Evelyn did as she was told and quickly examined his face. Though she couldn't tell a thing from his calm demeanor. This man was impossible to read. As she anxiously scanned his expression, Splinter smiled at her.

"You are a good girl," he began, meeting her gaze with gentle eyes. "I am not keen on any choice that might put you in danger…but I learned long ago that I can't protect the ones I care for from everything. I could have kept my sons down here with me all their lives. They would have been safe, but they would not have been happy. We could easily keep you safe here. You could stay in these sewers with us and I could make sure you didn't sneak off. …but that would make you a prisoner. You are not a prisoner here, Evelyn. My sons have been trained to handle the dangers they face, but you have not. Considering this, I am glad that you have asked for my help. I do not intend on holding you prisoner here…and if you must go out and face your demons, I can at least be grateful that I can be there for you. I will trust you, Eve."

As Splinter spoke, his voice was warm and kind. Evelyn couldn't help feeling overwhelmed again. He talked as if he knew exactly what she had planned to do, even though she hadn't explained at all. Perhaps he really could read her mind, thought Evelyn. Her nose burned slightly, but she did her best not to cry. This wasn't the time for tears. However, she couldn't stop herself from getting back up onto her knees and leaning forward to wrap her arms around his shoulders.  
"Thank you…" whispered Evelyn, "…thank you so much…"

Splinter only seemed surprised for a moment before he sighed a bit and returned her embrace.  
"You are most welcome."

Evelyn pulled back after a minute or two, still suppressing the emotions that threatened to escape through her tears.  
"…I fell in love with your son," admitted Evelyn, her voice choking up a bit. Since she couldn't tell him everything about her decision, this small bit of truth seemed to leak out.

"I am not surprised. He is a good son," replied Splinter with a knowing smile.

The raven haired girl couldn't help but laugh just a little. This man really did seem to know everything. "Yes, yes he is. Though, I probably fell for the wrong one…" she admitted once more. Leonardo was indeed a wonderful person, but she knew he wouldn't return her feelings. It was probably for the best. Raphael cared for her so much. If only you could control whom you fall for. Perhaps with time, her heart would change properly.

As Evelyn was lost in her thoughts, Splinter placed his hand on her shoulder once more.  
"Let us finish our tea before we go and join the others for something to eat."

With another smile, Eve nodded her head. There was a lot they still needed to talk about, but now that he had agreed to help her without much explanation, she was no longer scared to entrust in his help. She would explain everything to him soon. After all, there was a bit to prepare before they actually put her plan into motion. Most important, Evelyn wanted to ask his assistance in relaying a message to the others when all was said and done. It wouldn't be a proper goodbye, but it was all she could muster, and she trusted that Splinter would deliver her goodbyes to the people she loved so dearly.

 **A/N: I am so sorry that I have been gone sooooo long. A LOT has been going on at home and without going into too much detail, it's been very draining mentally and physically. It took a long time to get back into the swing of daily life again, but I'm back now.**


	32. Let's Make a Deal

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Let's Make a Deal**

Master Splinter and Evelyn finished their tea in silence, after which, Evelyn asked for a pen and some paper. She didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, but she couldn't do it in person. Whether it was because they would try to make her stay or that she just didn't have the courage to do so, Eve decided not to think about it. Carefully, Evelyn wrote five letters. One for each of her friends. As she wrote, it was like Eve could already see their reactions in her mind. This was making it a lot harder to focus. Still, she managed to get through it and even with a few tears, the letters were finished.

"I'm all done…" began Evelyn as she addressed the last letter to Leonardo, gathering the folded papers up in her hands, and holding them out for Master Splinter.

"Are you certain you do not wish to speak with them?" Master Splinter tried again.

Evelyn nodded slowly, "I'm sure."

No sooner had she answered when a few taps came from the door.  
"Master? We are heading back to the surface to check something out. Will Evelyn be okay?"  
It was Leonardo, addressing his father through the doors.

Before Evelyn could protest, Splinter slid the doors open slightly, revealing Eve sitting in the room with a cup of tea beside her. The scene seemed to please Leo. He was glad to see she was okay and he knew that Master Splinter would keep her safe.  
"We'll be back again soon," he said to Evelyn before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Eve shouted before she could stop herself, already halfway to her feet.

Leonardo turned around to face her again and Evelyn froze at once. His smile was disarming and though she may have wanted to say goodbye in person, there was a big part of her that knew, if he asked her to stay, she would. That couldn't happen.

"What is it?" Leonardo asked now. "Are you okay?"

Evelyn took in a small breath and forced a smile. "It's nothing, nevermind. Have a safe trip."

For a moment, Leonardo was a little suspicious, but he was just happy to see her safe and smiling for once. So without any more questions, he waved goodbye to his father and Eve before turning to leave again. This time, Evelyn said nothing. She simply waved goodbye in return and watched his back get further away until Splinter slid the doors closed once more. With the room shut up again, her smile faded, staring down at the letters she had written.

Thinking Evelyn to be safe and recouping with Master Splinter, Leonardo felt comfortable leaving with his brothers. April had received a call from her father and was forced to return home, so the brothers made their way to the warehouse without her. The place looked much like it had when they searched it the first time. Completely empty and much cleaner than one would imagine a New York warehouse would be. Donnie was right though. When Leonardo scanned the room again, it was clear they wouldn't have kept her in here. There were far too many windows and almost the entire roof was made of a skylight.

"Search the walls carefully and keep an eye out for any strange markings on the floor," Leonardo instructed before going off on his own to search as well.

Doing as they were told, all the Turtles began their search. Raphael was running his hand along the brick wall, wondering if there was some switch or something they had missed before. After almost an hour of looking and coming up empty, the brothers began to wonder if they had hit another dead end. That is, until Donatello shouted for the rest of them.

"Guys! I think I found something," announced Donnie, staring up at the brick wall as his brothers rushed to his side.

As they made their way to him, Donatello cautiously reached up and knocked on a brick that had a small black on one of the corners. It wasn't much of a tell, but after examining every other brick for an hour or so, any sort of difference seemed big when they all looked the same. After knocking on the brick, it sunk in just a little and to the right, a part of the wall slid opened to reveal stairs that led down into the dark.  
The brothers all gathered around the stairs, staring down into the unknown.

"Good job, Donnie," Leonardo said quietly, a little apprehensive to have them all go down there. "Me and Donatello will go and check it out; you guys stay here and stand watch."

"No way," Mikey and Raphael replied in unison.

"They may be right," Donatello began, "we were all separated at the mansion and it was a disaster. Things didn't work out until we were all together. I thin, when dealing with these people, it's best to have a united front."

Leonardo didn't like it, but Donnie was probably right. Still, he had a terrible feeling about this place. It was hard not to after everything that's happened so far.  
"Okay," agreed Leonardo, "let's go."

The turtles made their way down the stairs of the narrow hallway, barely able to see in the dark until Donatello lit the hall with a small flashlight. Now they were able to see the door at the end.

At least this seemed simple enough, thought Raphael. One room to search and they would be out by sunrise, hopefully with some good news. Though what could really be good news at this point?

Once they all reached the door, they found it was locked by a small code panel. So the three of them sat back while Donatello attempted to get them in.

As they waited, Raphael leaned against the wall and glanced at his brother, Leonardo. The turtles leader was staring at the door with his arms crossed over his chest. Though, he looked a little detached.

Unbeknownst to his brothers, Leonardo was staring just over Donatello's shoulder, watching clear illusion of Evelyn leaning over Donnie's shoulder, seemingly watching the techy turtle as he tried to crack the code. She glanced up at Leonardo and smiled, shaking her head.

" _I don't think you want to go in there…"_ the illusion said simply, straightening up a little now.

Leonardo turned his head away, staring at the door instead and trying to pretend that she was not there. He didn't want to alarm his brothers by speaking to something that wasn't there.

" _You can ignore me if you like, but I know what's in there. Once you see it, nothing will be the same…"_

Leonardo flinched a little, but before he could say anything, they heard a small click and Donatello gave his brothers the thumbs up. As the door began to slide open, the turtles all brought their hands to cover their mouth and nose. The very smell that crept from the open was gut churning. Donatello had to turn away in order not to get sick.

"What the hell is that?!" Michelangelo asked from behind his palm.

"I have no idea…" Raphael began in a groan as he pulled a cloth from his belt, tying it around his nose and mouth. It didn't help much, but it was better than before. His brothers quickly followed suit. Living in the sewers, it was hard to find a smell that could throw them all off, but whatever was in that room, had them all choking back the urge to wretch.

"Let's just get this over with," Raphael said lowly, doing his best not to breath if he didn't absolutely have to.

With that, they made their way slowly into the dark room. Raphael was the first one inside and the lights flickered on the moment he stepped from the doorway. To their horror, everything in the room was now visible. The brothers were all frozen in the doorway, scanning the room in horror.

The terrible smell was now made clear, a small pile of rotting bodies in the back corner of the room. Most were decomposed beyond clear recognition, but some at the top of the pile weren't as far gone as the others. A few at the top appeared to be girls, all with similar features to Evelyn, making them a little more difficult to look at. Some still had their eyes, but most of them seemed to be scooped out of their skulls. Some of the bodies were missing arms, legs, even fingers or toes. The turtles had never seen a dead body before, nor had they been forced to smell them. It was beyond comprehension and the very sight had Donatello throwing up as he turned his back to the bodies.

It wasn't just the bodies that shocked the turtles. There was a large tube of black ooze in the middle of the room, several hospital beds covered in dried blood with stained tools of the trade beside the beds.

"Is this where they took her eyes?" Leonardo asked absently.

Raphael felt a terrible panic start to form in his gut. Was one of those bodies in the corner Eve's real body? Did they torture her before they removed her eyes? How long was she held in this room before she escaped? Did they keep her in here with all of the other dead bodies?

As the Turtles explored the hidden room, Evelyn was climbing out of the sewers, as close as she could get to the warehouse where the others were searching. The night was rather cold and it had been some time she felt the breeze on her face or gazed up at the moonlight. Evelyn expelled a breath, taking a little pleasure in seeing it turn to smoke and evaporate into the air. She looked down at her hands, feeling a small sting of cold against her flesh.

"…It feels normal. …one would hardly think I wasn't a proper human…" she thought aloud under her breath.

Eve took a moment to enjoy the breeze before she finally looked down into her own shadow.  
"…I know you can hear me. I'm ready to make a deal."

For several minutes, there was no response, and Evelyn was a little worried that she had assumed wrong. She started to think of another way to contact her, but an icy cold hand reached over from behind Evelyn and gripped her shoulder lightly.  
Eve flinched and jerked around to face the hooded figure.  
Carling stood before her now, a single red eye glowing beneath her hood and pulling back a decrepit, shriveled black hand into the shadow of her cloak. A smile crept on the woman's face and with a voice like the hiss of a snake, she finally spoke.  
"Good Girl. Let's talk."

 **A/N: The turtles are getting closer to the core of Carlings operations, but Evelyn is taking matters into her own hands. Wonder how that's going to go. Well, I already know how it's going to go, but you know what I mean. Lol  
I'm working hard to make sure I get these updates out on time. After all, I made everyone wait a very long time. There is a schedule of weekly updates for each chapter on my profile if you want to take a look. **

**Thanks for reading and I'll see you all soon! :)**


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